Connecticut College undergoes 10-year accreditation process

	Connecticut College is part of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

The College is undergoing its 10-year accreditation with the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

CC has been accredited with the commission since 1932 and was last reviewed in 1997. The College will host a team for a comprehensive evaluation April 15-18.

For the past year and a half, CC has been engaged in an extensive process of self-study, addressing the commission's standards for accreditation. The self-study was framed in the context of the College's recent strategic planning process, providing a measure of institutional effectiveness.

The self-study and the evaluation review 11 areas of the college, including: mission and purposes; planning and evaluation; organization and governance; academic program; faculty; students; library and information resources; physical and technological resources; financial resources; public disclosure; and integrity.

The nine-member evaluation team, headed by William Adams, president of Colby College, will visit campus and hold meetings with faculty, staff and students to gather evidence that the self-study is thorough and accurate.

The public is invited to submit comments that address substantive matters related to the quality of the College. Comments will not be treated as confidential. They must be received by April 18, 2007 and should be sent to: Public Comment on Connecticut College, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, 209 Burlington Road, Bedford, MA 01730-1433. Comments may also be e-mailed to cihe@neasc.org.

After the visit, the team will recommend to the commission a continuing accreditation status for the college. A final accreditation status will be issued by the commission in fall 2007.

The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges is one of eight commissions in the United States that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Accreditation is voluntary and applies to the institution as a whole. The commission, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, accredits approximately 200 institutions in New England.