The reaccreditation visit from the Middle States Commission of Higher Education two weeks ago seems to have gone as expected, according to President Shirley Mullen and Linda Mills Woolsey, vice president of academic affairs and dean of the college.
According to Mills Woolsey, the team which visited Houghton included a chief financial officer (CFO), expert faculty members of other institutions, a college president, and a librarian. The purpose of the CFO on the team was to inspect how well resources are allocated in accordance with Houghton’s strategic plans.
Mills Woolsey added that the main question the commission addressed was, “Does the report [from the self study Houghton undertook last year in preparation for re-accreditation] reflect reality?” The team was presented with supporting documents, as well as meetings with various deans, students, the Academic Effectiveness committee, and those who conduct the tenure process. “The team looks for consistency,” Mills Woolsey stated. “They were positive about our campus and the thoroughness [of the self-study.]”
“There were no surprises,” Mullen stated. “And that’s what you want when your institution is being re-accredited.”
According to Mullen, the commission will send Houghton College a finalized report on the institution in June. In the meantime, Houghton will have an opportunity to address any concerns in the draft report. The visiting team fully expects to support reaccreditation.
In regard to areas the team pointed to for potential improvement, Mullen said, “The team agreed with the self-study team that we need to improve on internal communication, as well as broadcasting successful outcomes of a Houghton education for every major.”
“[Houghton] also needs to be more intentional about helping the whole campus know that admissions is everyone’s job,” said Mullen. “[Finally] as soon as possible Houghton must clarify its new directions in adult and online education.”
Mullen also shared that the team was impressed with the Christian liberal arts tradition at Houghton. One team member stated that this was “a treasure” that Houghton must continue to cultivate. Part of this “treasure” was the way Houghton combines commitment to Christ and openness to strong questions. Mullen considered this to be “a witness to what a Christian liberal arts education can be.”
The strengths pointed out by the commission in the draft report included uniform high quality throughout campus, faculty, and staff. Mullen stated Houghton has also done a good job, in the eyes of the team, of integrating curricular and co-curricular aspects of campus life.The team was impressed with the pervasiveness of the arts on campus, as well as the quality of athletic opportunities for students.
The team was also impressed in their interactions with students. Though the team did meet with a few current students, overall the commission was struck by the friendliness and quality of Houghton undergraduates, according to Mills Woolsey. She added, however, “visitors are always impressed with our students.”