Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is committed to quality in higher education, an objective reinforced by its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

As UWP educators prepare for the institution's regular 10-year on-site review from the group, 10 more faculty members and key university personnel have been appointed to the committee to lead the reaccreditation effort.

Among those recently named to the steering committee are professors Kevin Bernhardt and Esther Ofulue from the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture; Abulkhair Masoom and Barbara Barnet from the College of Engineering, Math and Science; and Alison Bunte and Pat Bromley from the College of Liberal Arts and Education.

"The people who were chosen to be on this steering committee are excellent leaders within the university," provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs Carol Sue Butts said. "Many of them are faculty members, and we have leaders from other areas of the university as well. The accreditation looks at all aspects of the university - the academic side, the financial side, advancement, development, student affairs - so we need leaders from each one of those components."

Also named to the committee are Sue Curtis, coordinator, Community University Partnership; Derek Dachelet, director of major gifts, University Advancement; Rich Egley, Student Affairs; and John Krogman, assistant vice chancellor for Information Services. The 10 individuals will join committee co-chairs Tom Nelson and Machelle Schroeder and general education and assessment coordinator Shane Drefcinski in heading up the reaccreditation effort. Provost Butts will also serve on the steering committee, and two students will be named to the committee at a later date.

The Higher Learning Commission is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1895, the association is one of six regional institutional accrediting organizations in the United States. Individual universities are reviewed on-site by the Higher Learning Commission every 10 years; UWP is scheduled for its next on-site review in 2006.