Reaccreditation Feedback Sought

West Virginia Northern Community College is looking for feedback from members of the community-at-large to help the institution as it prepares for its reaccreditation in March 2013.

According to Christina Sullivan, director of academic student support services at WVNCC and co-chair of the reaccreditation team, persons wishing to comment can do so by taking a survey online. She said the survey is available electronically through March 19 at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GWYMSBG and those completing the survey will need to enter wvncc to log in.

Northern is regionally accredited through the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission, Sullivan explained, and is specifically looking for feedback about key criteria from community agencies, employers, volunteer organizations and other community representatives. Questions range from knowledge about the college’s mission to use of its facilities by external constituents. Other areas, including the institution’s Web site and online support systems, also are covered in the survey.

While the survey is anonymous, Sullivan added, the responses to the survey will be incorporated as evidence and data for the college’s institutional self study, which assists the college in assessing areas in which the college meets the criteria for accreditation and areas for improvement.

Accreditation is a voluntary activity that ensures the institution is evaluated on its mission and integrity, preparation for the future, student learning and effective teaching, knowledge acquisition and application and engagement and service to its employees, students and communities. Sullivan pointed out there are six regional accrediting agencies in the U.S. and all agencies cooperate to recognize each other. This has various benefits, she said, such as allowing for easier transferability for students, even if transferring between colleges accredited by different agencies.

“The college asks that community members take the time to complete this survey, providing responses as they apply to relations between the college and the organizations they represent,” Sullivan said.