Rediscover Millersville With the 2010 Self-Study Process

With well over 150 faculty, staff, and student participants, Millersville is engaging in a self-study process which is the central piece of reaccreditation through the Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE).  For the next two years, they will look at existing information, processes and policies to understand the current status and where best practices exist or where improvements may need to be made. 

The theme for the self-study is, “Rediscover Millersville: The 2010 Self-Study.”  The process will culminate in an accreditation team being on campus in spring 2010.  The MSCHE formally reaffirms accreditation every 10 years.

The self-study process is organized into two major groups - the steering committee and the working groups.  The MU Self-Study Steering Committee, composed of 29 members, provides broad oversight for the process and support for the working group efforts.  Millersville has 11 working groups, 10 of which are responsible for standards such as leadership and governance, educational offerings, student support services and institutional assessment.  The working groups range in size from 10 to 15 members. 

Facilitating the entire self-study falls to Drs. Thomas Burns, Lisa Shibley, and Helena Tuleya-Payne who serve as the Coordinating Team for the process.  Tuleya-Payne and Burns also serve as the co-chairs of the steering committee.

“We are currently engaged in the research phase of the self-study,” explained Burns, associate provost.  “In this phase, which continues through spring break 2009, the working groups are assembling data to help them address questions - the basic building blocks of the self-study process.”

Involvement in the self-study process goes beyond serving on the steering committee or working groups.  Opportunities also include responding to requests to participate in interviews, surveys, or focus groups and engaging in discussions on key issues that help to guide Millersville’s future.

Tuleya-Payne, psychology, commented “I see the self-study process as an opportunity to share a deeper understanding of Millersville within our community. The self-study process is about learning and renewal.”

Back