Alma College Receives Full 10-year Re-accreditation
A national independent corporation that evaluates the quality of higher education institutions has given its official stamp of approval for Alma College’s educational programs.
The Higher Learning Commission, the accrediting body of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, has granted a full 10-year re-accreditation to Alma College.
“Accreditation provides an external validation by trained and knowledgeable peer evaluators about the quality of education provided by an institution,” says Alma College President Saundra Tracy. “The HLC’s favorable review of Alma confirms the progress and successes of the past decade and the momentum the College has built. This achievement is a testament to the great work and dedication of our faculty, staff and administration.”
New facilities at Alma College include the "digital media commons" in the Strosacker Collaborative Teaching and Learning Center in the Swanson Academic Center.
The accrediting team’s report highlighted the College’s commitment to student learning, ability to collaborate and embrace new initiatives, and successful navigation “of threatening economic circumstances in Michigan and the United States.” It also cited the College’s general education revisions, academic programs “that encourage and recognize academic excellence,” record entering classes, facility improvements, community outreach and fund-raising efforts.
According to the report: “Even though Alma College will continue to face challenging financial circumstances, it has established in this past decade a clear understanding of the mission, a sense of community, and a record of academic excellence that will serve as a strong foundation for the future.”
While Alma College has been accredited continuously since 1916, it must undergo a comprehensive review every 10 years to maintain its status as an accredited institution.
In preparation for the accreditation team’s scheduled campus visit last November, a College committee prepared a comprehensive self-study report that examined the College’s strengths and challenges. The report addressed specific accreditation criteria that focused on mission, preparing for the future, student learning, effective teaching, the acquisition and application of knowledge, and engagement and service.
For many institutions, the granting of re-accreditation is accompanied by a requirement for follow-up reports on areas of concern, says Tracy. Alma’s re-accreditation requires no follow-up reports. The College’s next comprehensive review will be in 2019.
Founded in 1886, Alma College is a private liberal arts college devoted exclusively to the education of undergraduate students. The mission of the College is ‘to prepare graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully, and live responsibly as stewards of the world they bequeath to future generations.”
Posted: Tue, May 11th, 2010 at 5:33PM
