The College is preparing for its reaccredidation visit during the fall of 2006 under the provisions of the accrediting agency the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE).
CIHE is a division under the accrediting agency New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). NEASC serves about 1,890 independent and public schools, colleges, and universities in New England and several American/International schools.
Every 10 years the College undergoes reaccreditation, which consists of three parts: a self-study, a visit by a CIHE accreditation team, and the accreditation team's written report. The year 2006 is Bowdoin's next reaccreditation period.
"This occasion provides the College an opportunity for self-reflection as well as a chance to recognize both our accomplishments and our challenges," wrote President Barry Mills in an email to the Bowdoin faculty and staff.
Mills is organizing a steering committee of faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, and students to prepare for the reaccreditation process.
The College has already started planning the first part of the procedure, a self-study in which the College collects data and evaluates itself based on the 11 standards of the CIHE, which include categories on Mission and Purpose, Planning and Evaluation, Organization and Governance, and Academic Programs.
Dean of Academic Affairs Craig McEwen will serve as the chair of the internal committee for self-study.
"The College hopes to learn more about its strengths and weaknesses through the self-study process and to benefit from the wisdom and advice of the visiting team when it is on campus," McEwen said.
Director of Institutional Research Christine Cote will prepare data for the study, and Assistant to the Dean for Academic Affairs Jeanne Bamforth will gather documents.
The steering committee will help draft parts of the self-study during the summer. After the drafts are completed, they will be available to the community for discussion.
"I envision enlisting both existing committees and groups in discussion of this draft while also making room for contributions by all members of the community," Mills wrote.
The College will submit the final version of the study before the CIHE accrediting team visits the campus in the fall of 2006.
The accrediting team, consisting of seven to nine faculty members and officials from other institutions, will visit the campus from October 15 to 18, 2006 to evaluate the College. The team will write a report, which it will also share with the College.
"The reaccreditation is an opportunity for peers to hold one another accountable to meeting high standards to educate students," McEwen said.
The CIHE office will use the team's written report to determine the College's reaccreditation, which will take between four to six months after the CIHE receives the report.
"The issue is not on reaccreditation but on what we can learn from thoughtful colleagues from other institutions to make this a better place," McEwen said.