Members of the mock visit team reviewed the initial draft of the campus self-study report, toured the campus, and met with students, faculty, staff and administrators.
The team noted the opportunities for students to create community, the campus’ commitment to the Metropolitan Vision and the work done by faculty, staff and students throughout the community. The visitors highlighted and praised the level of student engagement on campus.
The mock team also looked closely at how the university is planning for the future.
Laura Reynolds-Keefer, associate professor, said the work being done as part of Vision 2020 was critical in providing specific examples of innovations and process improvements that have already resulted from work of faculty and staff campus-wide.
“It was important for us to illustrate that the campus as a community has identified opportunities for growth and improvement as a part of Vision 2020 strategic planning, and that we are making innovations and investing in order to better serve our students and community,” she said.
The mock team noted several initiatives seen as important works in progress including: the move to Canvas learning management system (LMS), the implementation of the new budget model, the emphasis on assessment and learning goals, the strengthening of general education and the addition of student housing.
“Simulating the visit was a valuable experience,” Reynolds-Keefer said. “The things we learned and the conversations we’re having now because of the mock visit will be key to having the September visit go smoothly.”
The mock visit team stressed the importance of campus-wide participation during the HLC visit scheduled for September 23-25, 2013. To learn more about the process or to find out how you and your students can get involved, visit the university’s Vision 2020 webpage or contact Reynolds-Keefer at [email protected].
