Oberlin College will soon undergo a major evaluation of its principles and achievements in education. From April 28-30, a team from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges will be visiting campus to prepare a report on Oberlin’s eligibility for reaccreditation, a process encompassing both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music.

Reaccreditation is a decennial review of individual colleges to assess their academic and professional credentials. The parameters for evaluation include educational activities, administration and governance, financial stability and resources, student academic achievement and the overall efficacy of the institution and its relationship with outside constituencies.

Before NCA/HLC officials visit campus, the College will prepare a comprehensive report to present to the visiting team. Oberlin’s Self-Study Executive Committee and Assessment Committee, comprised of faculty and staff members, has been working on this report for several years. In a recent meeting with the Review, members of the Self-Study Executive Committee stressed that the current report will be more participatory and qualitative than the one conducted in 1998. The reaccreditation process seeks to engage the broader campus, especially students.

A successful review will ensure that Oberlin’s degrees are recognized, maintain its eligibility for federal financial aid funds, and ensure that the qualifications of Oberlin graduates are acknowledged in the professional arena.

The report affirms Oberlin’s commitment to constant evaluation and improvement, allowing the College to reflect on its mission, its preparations for the future, the effectiveness of its teaching processes and its involvement with outside constituencies. As the Self-Study Committee explained, it is part of the continual process of self-examination that is central to Oberlin’s practices.

Students will get an opportunity to reflect on their own academic goals. It is a good time to think about why students choose Oberlin, what they want to accomplish academically and whether their goals are being met. They can ask and, hopefully, answer important questions: Is the College giving enough, and are students doing enough?

The visiting NCA team will randomly select students to interview. The Self-Study Committee also encourages students to visit various departments and learn the goals of specific majors, talk to faculty members and submit comments.

The Committee intends to engage the campus and the community by publishing information in local newspapers and inviting comments on the NCA-HLC webpage.