MSSU prepares document for HLC visit

A document detailing Missouri Southern’s progress in shared governance and strategic planning was finished and submitted to the Higher Learning Commission. The HLC, an accrediting body, is visiting Southern in April to evaluate those two areas.

“Starting after the [HLC] visit in 2008, the campus started working on projects related to both strategic planning and shared governance,” said Dr. Susan Craig, director of first-year experience. Craig compiled the document for the HLC.

The report is due to the HLC on Monday. It was shipped this week and should arrive today.

The report only outlines the history of what has been happening in those two areas from 2008 to now.

The HLC did its 10-year review in 2008 and decided it wished to revisit the school after just three more years instead of waiting until 2018.

“They identified a couple of areas that they wanted to take a look at this year,” Craig said. “They’re doing what’s called a ‘focus visit,’ and that is where they come back and they take a look at the areas that they identify that they wanted to follow up on.”

Today, the Board of Governors will look at a piece of the report regarding strategic planning. The Board’s segment of the report will include Southern’s goals and objectives for strategic planning and why those goals were chosen.

“The HLC knows we’re continuing to work,” Craig said. “Shared governance and strategic planning aren’t things that you just start and stop; they’re things that are ongoing.”

Craig also said that when the HLC focus visit team comes, they will identify specific individuals they want to talk to.