Spring Break
Ideal visions of future SJSU fuel re-accreditation talks
Erik Lacayo
Daily Staff Writer
- Page 1 of 1
An accreditation from the association is important to any institution. Federal funding is tied to accreditation, accreditation review coordinator Bethany Shifflett said.
"An institution's credibility hangs in the balance," she said.
Campus Wide Strategic Conversation No. 3 was held at noon Wednesday in the Barrett Ballroom of the Student Union.
The meeting was part of a process in which the university is preparing to be visited and evaluated by accreditation officials next semester.
"WASC is interested in having the campus be broadly involved in the process," said Nancie Fimbel, associate dean of academic and undergraduate studies in the College of Business. She is on the Steering Committee, whose purpose is to oversee SJSU's accreditation efforts.
"They want everyone involved. They want everyone to be engaged," she said.
The strategic conversation was attended by 142 people, professor of communication studies Shawn Spano said. Spano is a member of the Forum Committee, a committee that has been putting together these strategic conversations.
The first two conversations occurred last semester, and the fourth and final one is scheduled for March 25.
Wednesday's meeting focused on what an ideal SJSU would look like. In the fourth meeting, participants will discuss the methods in becoming that ideal SJSU, Shifflett said.
"(The Forum Committee has) engaged the campus in discussions that I don't think have happened on this level before," she said.
Participants discussed the state of the university in small groups. They were asked to describe what the ideal SJSU would look like in five years if there were no budget problems and all possible resources were available.
The ideal SJSU would have a more lively and vibrant atmosphere, as more students will be living on campus when the new residence halls are built, one participant said.
Other participants said SJSU would ideally be able to offer better "customer service." There would be better communication between faculty members and students.
SJSU needs to be able to forecast or predict change more effectively to be able respond to problems quickly, another participant said.
Technology was also a hot topic at the meeting. Most of the participants agreed that SJSU needs to be on the cutting edge of technology. There will be more "virtual classrooms" but not at the expense of human interaction, participants said.
"I was very pleased by the conversation. It's encouraging to see everyone participating," said Robert Cooper, associate vice president of undergraduate studies. Cooper is the accreditation liaison officer between SJSU and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
"I am glad that we are seeing a campus-wide consensus on most of the issues," he said.
Other issues brought up during the conversation included ties with the surrounding communities, ties to the private sector, Bay Area Rapid Transit and parking.
One participant was even bold enough to state that an ideal SJSU would be free of parking problems. This elicited laughter from the rest of the audience.
The issues and ideas brought up in the meeting were recorded by the Steering Committee and will be included in a preparatory review report that will be sent to the accreditation association on July 1, Shifflett said.
Marshall Goodman, provost and vice president for academic affairs, delivered the closing remarks for the meeting.
"This is really not about WASC and accreditation," he said.
The strategic meetings provide a chance for SJSU to articulate its mission. If the university doesn't articulate it, others will, Goodman said.
"We have been accredited in the past, and we expect to be re-accredited," Shifflett said. "The question is, where will we fall on the continuum? Will we come through with a stellar review, or will we have some areas that need to be addressed?"
An accreditation association team is scheduled to do its first round of visits in October.
If SJSU passes the first of evaluations, the accreditation association will do anther round of visits in 2005, Shifflett said.
It is not until the second round of evaluations is completed that SJSU would complete the re-accreditation process.
The last time SJSU went through this process was in 1995, Shifflett said.
"A few weeks before the WASC team visit we'll probably get nervous about what they might think, but that is secondary right now," Fimbel said. "Right now, our focus is on helping the campus."
The process of seeking re-accreditation is a lot of hard work, Cooper said.
Most of the people on the Steering Committee are working on this project on top of their normal duties at SJSU.
They are working an extra six to eight hours a week, Cooper said.
Cooper estimates that the three-and-a-half year project will cost $31,500.
This figure includes fees paid to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the costs of holding the strategic conversations.
SJSU also has to pay $18,600 in dues to the accreditation association every year, Cooper said.
