E-Insight

October 2004

University News

New Executive Director of Alumni Relations Joins Colorado State University

Colorado State University announced a noted national leader in alumni relations programs as the University's new Executive Director of Alumni Relations. Marc J. Shkolnick, who served for 10 years with the University of Nebraska Alumni Association and who was the association's Associate Executive Director since 1999, will begin his duties on Nov. 8.

As Associate Executive Director at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Shkolnick managed the association's alumni programming team that created programs, events and activities designed to keep alumni informed about and engaged with the university. He also coordinated the membership/marketing program and served as liaison to the association's lifelong learning program. Shkolnick, who has a master's in higher education administration and a bachelor's in education both from the University of Nebraska, is a member of the CASE District VI Board of Trustees and chairman of the CASE District VI Educational Outreach Planning Committee.

Colorado State University Granted Continued Accreditation

Colorado State University has been granted continued accreditation for 10 years by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association, the agency responsible for providing institutional accreditation throughout the North-Central region of the United States.

"The University owes a great debt of gratitude to the many individuals who have worked so hard in preparing the self-study and in hosting the site visit team," said Colorado State University President Larry Edward Penley. "The efforts which have been invested in the accreditation process have provided not only for our continued accreditation, which is an important outcome, but have also helped set the stage for development of our future plans as an institution."

Led by self-study co-coordinators Bob Jones and Alicia Cook, for 18 months beginning fall 2002 Colorado State was actively engaged in a detailed process of self-study, addressing HLC's requirements and criteria for accreditation. Incorporating feedback and comments from University administration, faculty, students and staff, the self-study committee created a 430-page self-study accreditation report.

The University then underwent a comprehensive accreditation evaluation in February 2004 when an HLC-appointed team of educators visited campus to assess and evaluate all aspects of the university. The accreditation team gathered comprehensive evidence to ensure that the self-study was thorough and accurate and recommended to the HLC a continuing accreditation status for the University. Following a review process, the commission recently made its final decision to approve Colorado State's continued accreditation for the full 10-year period.