The steering committee for Metro's State's self-study for re-accreditation has met weekly since the spring and has made considerable progress.

First, the committee has posted a Web site to keep faculty and staff informed of its work throughout the next two years as the college gears up for its accreditation site visit in March 2007. The site, http://www.mscd.edu/nca/, covers the criteria for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA), the self-study timeline, and meeting minutes, among other key elements to the committee's work.

In addition, the committee has made a minor revision to one sentence in the college's role and mission statement, which has been approved by President Stephen Jordan. The committee is sending copies of the revised statement to the various college constituencies for comment. That change, which is noted in italics, is:

Metropolitan State College of Denver is a comprehensive, baccalaureate-degree granting, urban college that offers arts and sciences, professional, and business courses and programs to a diverse student population. Excellence in teaching and learning is MSCD's primary objective.

The mission of MSCD is to provide a high-quality, accessible, enriching education that prepares students for successful careers, post-graduate education, and lifelong learning in a multicultural, global, and technological society. To fulfill its mission, MSCD engages diverse internal and external communities in scholarly inquiry, creative activity, and the application of knowledge.

The original sentence reads:

The college fulfills its mission by working in partnership with the community at large and by fostering an atmosphere of scholarly inquiry, creative activity, and mutual respect within a diverse campus community.

According to Frieda Holley, who is the self-study coordinator, next up is the formation of task forces on such things as diversity, advising and transfer issues, and engagement and service. "We'll be sending letters to the various campus groups asking for volunteers to serve on these task forces."

Anyone interested in joining a task force, should contact Holley at holleyf@mscd.edu.