Colorado State University seeks institutional reaccreditation every 10 years and is working to prepare for the Comprehensive Evaluation to receive it in 2024.

According to CSU SOURCE, institutional accreditation requires CSU to “demonstrate it operates at the highest standards in its educational commitment.” This shows the quality and value of an education at CSU and pushes the university to continue improvement.

“Accreditation serves as a public assurance of institutional quality,” said Laura Jensen, vice provost for planning and effectiveness and chair for the accreditation planning team. “It is focused on both continuous improvement and accountability.”

The process, led by the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness under the Office of the Provost and the vice president for academic affairs, will include a comprehensive self-study report sent to CSU’s accrediting institution, the Higher Learning Commission, then a peer-review team campus visit scheduled for September. The self-study, which incorporates input and evidence from campus and community stakeholders, will be due to HLC this upcoming summer, according to SOURCE.

HLC will also consider documents and reviews such as the Federal Compliance Review and Student Opinion Survey when making their decision whether to reaccredit CSU.

HLC is a historically recognized accreditation agency and is acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Education. HLC is one of six regional accreditors across the United States. The HLC website states its mission is to “advance the common good through quality assurance of higher education as the leader in equitable, transformative and trusted accreditation in the service of students and member institutions.”

As of now, the planning team, which includes Jensen and Susan Matthews, presidential fellow for accreditation, is assembling an Assurance Argument, which includes evidence that CSU meets HLC’s requirements and criteria for accreditation.

“This semester we will host open fora and will continue to review input provided through our accreditation email linked on our website. The site visit will also offer opportunities for various stakeholder groups to meet with our peer review team and provide input.” -Laura Jensen, vice provost for planning and effectiveness and chair of the accreditation planning team

According to Jensen, there were six work groups on campus that gathered the necessary information the planning team will compile into the Assurance Argument. Jensen also explained that they met with the employee councils, the president’s cabinet and the college deans and engaged with the Associated Students of CSU throughout the process.

Additionally, CSU offers opportunities for community members to participate in the process and submit their input. Opportunities for participation and engagement in the accreditation process are posted on CSU’s accreditation website. Those who are interested in participating can also reach out to members of the CSU employee council or Jensen, Matthews or Mary Pedersen, special advisor to the provost. 

“This semester, we will host open fora and continue to review input provided through our accreditation email linked on our website,” Jensen said. “The site visit will also offer opportunities for various stakeholder groups to meet with our peer review team and provide input.”

HLC will announce its decision on whether to renew the accreditation during the spring of 2024.

“Accreditation is a federally recognized third-party assurance of the quality of CSU’s educational offerings based on national standards,” SOURCE reads. “This university-wide, 10-year cycle of internal and external assessments, reports and reviews confirms the value of a CSU degree to students, other universities, licensing bodies and prospective employers while fostering a culture of continuous self-review and improvement within the university.”