University Undergoes Self-Study Initiatives

The University has formed several committees to begin a self-study process in preparation for the Middle States Association of Colleges and Universities re-accreditation evaluation. The accreditation process is voluntarily conducted every 10 years or so and is administered by the Association’s Commission on Higher Education, which accredits degree-granting colleges and universities in the Middle States region. Fordham’s Middle States self-study is slated for completion in May 2005 in preparation for an on-site peer review during the 2005-2006 academic year.

The committees’ findings will also serve as a basis for a separate strategic planning document, which is scheduled for a December 2005 completion.

The strategic planning document, an institutional imperative set forth by Joseph M. McShane, S.J., the president of Fordham University, will be a five-year plan with a built-in apparatus for reviewing its effectiveness and renewing it. It is expected that the major themes of the plan will emerge during the re-accreditation process, according to Father McShane.

“My dream is for Fordham to reassert its position as the premier Catholic university in North America,” he said. “To achieve this dream, a plan must be created that engages the full resources of this University and the participation of all of its members.”

The committees already at work on internal studies include:

U.S. News & World Report committee
Middle States review committee
Marymount Task Force
Adult Education Task Force
Web redesign committee
Emergency response committee
Integrated marketing committee

The University is expected to establish additional committees as the Middle States self-study process moves forward.