Communications

Accreditation FAQ

Lawrence is preparing for an accreditation review, a process that every major institution of higher learning undergoes. Below, please find answers to some common questions about the process.  

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a process of review for ensuring that the education provided by colleges and universities meets high standards of quality. There are a variety of benchmarks, and every institution must undergo the full review process every ten years. Lawrence is in its renewal year.

Why does it matter?

Accreditation is a mark of quality assurance. Accreditation is important both for Lawrence’s reputation and access to important funding. Graduate schools and professional programs expect applicants to have completed an appropriate course of study at an accredited institution.  Accreditation is also a process for verifying compliance with federal regulations, eligibility for certain grants and federal funds, and encouraging institutional and educational improvement.

Who is our accrediting agency?

Lawrence is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the regional agency that accredits degree-granting institutions in 19 states in the northern and central part of the U.S.

What does the accreditation review entail?

Accreditation involves a variety of submissions, including an assurance argument and evidence file, quality initiative, and federal compliance file, as well as invitations for the public to submit comments to the HLC. Representatives from peer institutions will review Lawrence’s materials, visit the campus, and produce a report that the HLC uses to determine our accreditation status.

When is Lawrence’s review taking place?

Fall 2018. Lawrence’s materials will be submitted by September 1 and the site visit will take place October 1-2. There are other deadlines throughout the year for notifying people about the accreditation process, gathering materials for the reports, and so on.

How can I help?

Lawrence has a team of administrators, faculty, and staff producing our submissions, meeting HLC requirements, and preparing for the site visit. You play a key role in the process by responding to and prioritizing requests from members of the team in a timely fashion. You may also be asked to review part of the materials the team has assembled. As we prepare for the comprehensive evaluation visit on October 1-2, you will learn more about what to expect and what role you can play.  Stay tuned for more information!

We have taken a hard look at our processes and workflow, looking for opportunities to improve efficiency. As a result, we’ve made a few changes for the new year.

Events calendar: We’ve eliminated a crucial step in the process for posting coming events to the online events calendar and homepage listing. Calendar listings will no longer require Communications approval. Room reservations that request a listing will automatically display after approval by the usual room manager. Please be sure to check your event description for accuracy, spelling and grammar since it will display publicly. For event listings that need to be added directly to the calendar, without an associated room reservation, please work with the person in your department who has calendar access and training. For areas without such a person, contact the helpdesk for calendar access and training.

Promoting faculty achievements/performances/achievements: Our faculty are consistently recognized by students, parents and alumni for their expertise. Therefore, we want to make certain that the world knows when they’ve written a book, are giving a performance or speaking to a broad audience. We are working with IT and the Provost’s office this week to create a system to assure that the Office of Communications is aware of these accomplishments, well in advance. We will carefully curate those to conform with scheduled activities and then promote them as appropriate – typically using social media channels. More to come when this process is finalized.

Student, faculty and staff photos: We want to assure that those who need professional quality photos can have them taken. We will schedule photo sessions with Liz Boutelle (Brokaw 214) every Friday. However, be sure to submit requests online several weeks in advance because time slots fill fast.  You will be notified of your scheduled photo appointment within one week of you request. Preference will be given to seniors during spring term.

Workzone Projects: When projects are submitted through Workzone, Kelly Coenen develops a production schedule. To improve speed and efficiency, we will no longer begin design and production until all final copy has been submitted. Designing projects with incomplete copy has resulted in as many as 15 revisions – causing other projects to be delayed. We will, however, build in two revisions/approvals, each of which will be proofed for AP Style. This new procedure will assure that we produce as much work in as short a time as possible.

Social Media transition: Kasey Corrado Schumacher, our social media director for the past 3 years, resigned at the end of the year. We are actively searching for a replacement. Until that position is filled, social media monitoring, response and content creation will be handled by two student interns (Resonance Fellows) supervised by Lauren Erlandson and Craig Gagnon. They will support a content calendar but will be alert for unforeseen opportunities. If you’re aware of news, photos or videos that might be of interest to the unique audiences who follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, please notify Lauren or Craig.

Hometown news: We have changed vendors to distribute student accomplishments to their hometown newspapers. The new service will also allow students to have their own web page upon which those achievements can be posted. They can then share their achievements via their own social media channels. Notices will also be sent to their high school guidance counselors, reminding them the successes of their alumni at Lawrence. This service has been used successfully by Bates, Colgate, Carleton and dozens of other colleges. If you are aware of student achievements, please notify Rick Peterson. Watch for more information in the next few weeks as we implement this system and notify students.

Faculty and staff PR: We continue to encourage faculty and staff to write for national publications. Our national media consultant met with several staff and faculty members in early December to discuss their ideas, provide advice and pitch stories. (One article already appeared in Inside Higher Ed). A good deal of writing took place during the holiday break and we look forward to reviewing drafts soon. However, if anyone has timely ideas that they believe belong in national publications, now or in the future, please call Rick Peterson or me.

With your help, we believe these changes will further enhance the Lawrence reputation, reach larger audiences and improving efficiency without adding resources.

We are breaking out the winter gear in preparation for the winter edition of Griff’s Grill. We are featuring Jacobs’ hot dogs and brats, a special “winter” brat and of course veggie options.  Join us Wednesday, November 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch (seating is available inside).

Nov. 17 Queer Thanksgiving      3-5p.m.   Diversity Center
Queer Thanksgiving is an event which gives LGBTQ students who may not be able to be their true selves at home a chance to celebrate the holiday with the LU community. If you are interested in donating food and/or materials, please fill out this Google doc.

Nov. 20 Trans Day of Remembrance   5-9 p.m.   Memorial Hall 105
The Annual Trans Day of Remembrance hosted by Lawrence University includes a talk, a candlelight vigil, reading of the names of those who have been killed by transphobic violence, and an informal closing conversation. After a conversation in Memorial 105, we will go to the Main Hall south steps for the reading of the names and vigil.

Join the Faculty/Pride Email List

Would you like to hear about Faculty/Staff Pride events by email? Join our email list by contacting Dakota Williams at dakota.a.williams@lawrence.edu.