Preface

The University of Colorado at Boulder—A Self-Study

In 1997, the University of Colorado at Boulder began preparations for its application for continued accreditation by the campus’s primary accrediting agency, the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The Boulder campus was last accredited by the NCA in 1989, and the next scheduled accreditation visit was scheduled for April 2000.

CU-Boulder began the current process in fall 1997 when a committee of faculty, staff, and students was named to lead the campuswide self-study. By spring 1998, a self-study plan was developed, followed by the launching of unit studies by individual schools, colleges, and other units in fall 1998. The individual studies, which were completed by early 1999, formed the basis for much of the institutional self-study. Unit studies are available in the NCA team's Resource Room and on the Web at University of Colorado Unit Self-Studies.

Self-Study Goals and Objectives

The self-study plan included two goals, each with two objectives.

Goal I. Do an integrated assessment of major campus units and activities.

Objectives:

• Identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of these units, including the degree to which the units are appropriately and successfully integrated with other relevant campus units and activities.
• Use this assessment as a check on the current campus strategic plan.

Goal II. Achieve continued accreditation for the next decade.

Objectives:

• Demonstrate satisfactory achievement of all NCA criteria.
• Demonstrate satisfactory achievement of all NCA General Institutional Requirements (GIRs).

Organization of the Study

In fall 1997, the chancellor of the Boulder campus designated Dr. Brangwyn Foote, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs, to chair the campus self-study review committee. In turn, Dr. Foote asked Associate Vice Chancellor William H. Kaempfer to assist as co-chair of the committee.

Together they solicited names of potential members from the vice chancellors, school and college deans, the Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA), University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU), and Staff Council. The following individuals were named to serve on the self-study committee:

• Susan Avery, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environment Sciences
• Shaun Dalrymple, Electronic Engineer and Staff Council Representative
• Jean Delaney, Director of the Office of International Education
• Brangwyn Foote, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
• Boyd Hill, Professor of History and BFA Representative
• William H. Kaempfer, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
• Genet Kozik-Rosabal, United Government of Graduate Students (UGGS)
• Trey Lyons, UCSU Representative
• Lou McClelland, Director of Institutional Analysis
• Ofelia Miramontes, Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Equity
• David Pinkow, Associate Professor of Music
• Ric Porreca, Vice Chancellor for Budget and Finance
• Peter Steinhauer, Member of the Board of Regents
• Marc Swadener, Associate Dean of Education

Chancellor Richard L. Byyny formally charged the committee as follows: "Following the guidelines provided by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), do a thorough and critical review of campus programs, policies, and practices, and develop a report to be submitted to NCA prior to the site visit on April 17-18, 2000."

The self-study committee was divided into subcommittees to consider each of the five NCA criteria. The charge to each subcommittee followed the NCA guidelines for providing evidence of achieving each criterion.

Members of the various subcommittees and other contributors to the report included:

• James Baily, Facilities Management
• Bobbi Barrow, Institutional Relations
• Henry Claypool, Disability Services
• Richard Collins, Law
• Cathy Comstock, BFA
• John Daily, BFA
• Don Diebert, Administrative Streamlining Project
• William Haid, Registrar
• Myrna Hall, CU Foundation
• Debra Hayes, Music
• Anne Heinz, Continuing Education
• Bill Henry, Architecture and Planning
• William Herbstreit, Financial and Business Services
• Carl Jardine, Housing
• Zan Johns, Human Resources
• Gary Kelsey, Admissions
• Ken Klingenstein, Instruction and Technical Services
• Robert Mazzeo, Arts and Sciences Council
• Monteith Mitchell, Student Affairs
• Meg Moritz, Journalism and Mass Communication
• Karen Morrison, Intercollegiate Athletics
• Robin Newsom-Suitts, Administration and Finance
• Michael Palmer, Business and Administration
• Patricia Peterson, Graduate School
• Shari Robertson, Administration Division
• Scott Seaman, Libraries
• Tom Sebok, Ombuds Office
• Barbara Schneider, Enrollment Management Services
• Sherry Snyder, Engineering and Applied Science
• John A. Stevenson, English
• Rodney Taylor, Graduate School

In summer 1999, co-chair Brangwyn Foote resigned from the self-study committee when she took a position with another university. William Kaempfer continued as chair throughout the remainder of the process.

Report of the Campus Self-Study

This report summarizes the findings of the campuswide self-study, as well as key conclusions of the unit studies. This document does not attempt to be exhaustive, but is supplemented by materials in the NCA team Resource Room and by relevant web sites cited throughout the report. For example, the unit self-studies are not summarized fully in this document, but the complete unit reports will be made available to the evaluating team in the Resource Room and to the public at University of Colorado Unit Self-Studies.

The report includes an introductory section (Chapter I) that contains a brief statement on the campus as a "community of learners," a profile of the campus community, a brief history, and a listing of key developments since the last NCA review. Chapter II traces the campus’s accreditation history and provides responses to the 1989 areas of concerns and suggestions made by that NCA team.

Beginning with Chapter III, the report devotes a full chapter to each of the five criteria for continued accreditation by the NCA: mission, organization and resources, accomplishment of educational and other purposes, planning, and integrity. Each of these five chapters concludes with a brief summary of "Key Strengths," "Major Challenges," and "Action Plans and Recommendations" related to the specific criterion under discussion. Chapter VIII offers an overview of CU-Boulder's "hallmarks of excellence," opportunities for strengthening the campus, and the campus as a "community of learners."

Following the development of a draft Self-Study Report in fall 1999, feedback was sought from members of the campus community and others. Numerous key individuals were contacted to provide comments on specific sections as the draft was developed. Chancellor Richard L. Byyny distributed a memo to the campus community, announcing the posting of the draft on the web and asking for feedback. Print copies were made available to anyone requesting them. Third-party feedback also was sought and received.