FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                          April 18, 2005

NORTHWESTERN GROUP MAKES PRESENTATION AT HLC ANNUAL CONFERENCE

            Dr. Cheryl Evans, dean of Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid, led a Northwestern group that made presentations at the annual conference of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association, April 8-12 in Chicago.

Evans was the coordinator of Northwestern’s 2004 Self-Study that led to a maximum 10-year accreditation by the HLC. Others attending the conference were Dr. Paul Beran, university president; Dr. Steve Lohmann, vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Mark Denton, director of assessment ; Dr. Mike Knedler, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences; and Kasey Strait, Self-Study assistant.

            At HLC’s conference, the group twice presented a pre-conference workshop on self-study titled “It Takes a Campus Community to Conduct a Self-Study,” based on Northwestern’s self-study process. The session covered how to include administrators, faculty, staff and students in the self-study process. The workshop offered practical advice about how to involve everyone at the institution and included the importance of the administration’s role in effectively facilitating grass roots efforts to guide the different stages of self-study.

            The presentation was geared toward university administrators, faculty, staff, self-study coordinators and steering committee members who seek to engage all campus members in the self-study.

            Beran and two other presidents made a separate presentation at a presidents meeting about “The Role of the CEO in Maintaining the Accreditation Relationship.”

            “I focused on the realities and pitfalls on organizing a longitudinal approach to a North Central visit,” Beran said. “I wanted to share the perspective of a chief executive officer on the process.”

            At the same time as the presidents’ meeting, the other Northwestern representatives were available at a booth to answer questions from conference attendees. While talking with booth visitors, Evans said they had some very positive feedback about the presentation.

            “People were very interested in how everyone on campus was involved in some level of our process,” Evans said. “It was a great opportunity to reflect on what we accomplished together and to help others who are going through the process now.”

            Copies of Northwestern’s Self-Study were available in the commission’s resource room for others to examine and Evans said many persons asked for Northwestern’s web address so that they could review the self-study.

            “At the Self-Study Fair, we had the opportunity to meet informally with others, to review sample materials and to discuss the practical aspects of the self-study process,” Evans said. “We talked with many of the speakers in the workshops and other representatives who had their reports on display in the resource room.”

-NW-

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