Chancellor Donald Mash, UW-Eau Claire, presented the challenges of the NCA accreditation report to the Board of Regents Education Committee on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001.

The new goals of UW-Eau Claire, as stated in Mash's presentation to the education committee are to enhance the quality of teaching, learning and personal development environment.  To expand and enhance our regional services and impact and to broaden and increase our resource base.

Mash and the board were pleased with the findings of the report.  Mash said that UW-Eau Claire began its preparations for the review in 1997 by putting together a campus team to develop a self-study.  Mash said, "Excellence is our measure, our motto and our goal."

The NCA site team listed technology support, research support, the program review system, UW-Eau Claire's system of shared governance, the broad-based community support at UW-Eau Claire, and UW-Eau Claire's high private financial support among our many strengths.

With these strengths, there also come some challenges.  JoAnne Brandes, UW Regent, was interviewed during the NCA accreditation evaluation of UW-Eau Claire.  Brandes said there were some common challenges found in the report.  She also said, "They found some highlights (of UW-Eau Claire), and I'm glad they could recognize them."

Among the challenges, the need to continue diversifying efforts is on top.  The site team also identified the negative impact of the declining state support on recruitment and retention issues. As well as a need to improve the organizational structure and support base for graduate programs.  The UW-Eau Claire campus needs a recentralization of its graduate programs, and additional resources for recruitment and management of programs.

Mash said that the resource issue was UW-Eau Claire's biggest challenge.  He said that it is a matter of retaining talent and recruiting talent.  Mash said that he wants to redesign courses so that faculty can go to one professional convention a year, and right now this is a resource matter. 

The NCA also suggested a centralization of outreach programming and improving services to nontraditional students. There needs to be an increase in support for advising nontraditional students.

Among these challenges, the question of assessment of student academic achievement was listed.  The question of assessment was also raised by the board.  Cora Marrett, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs said, "The key challenge is how do we assess key outcomes?"  Marrett continued by saying that the question of how to assess properly needs to be continually wrestled with on the board, with students, faculty and administration.

The NCA site team that visited UW-Eau Claire in fall 2000 represented professionals who work at other universities like UW-Eau Claire.  They reviewed documents, records, files and interviewed staff, students, and administration.