Request for Reaffirmation of Accreditation

Introduction

Central State University (CSU), located in Wilberforce (main campus) and CSU-Dayton (course offering site), OH, is a dynamic institution of approximately 2152 students and 400 dedicated faculty and staff. The only HBCU among Ohio’s thirteen public four-year institutions, CSU offers, through its four colleges and schools; 34 baccalaureate degree programs and a master’s degree program in Education. Under the pioneering leadership of its first female president, CSU is currently undergoing an institutional renaissance that promises to yield, over the next decade, exciting new levels of academic excellence and institutional prominence as it acquires the earned designation of a land grant institution. The designation will have a far-reaching impact and provide a robust plan for strategic growth developed in collaboration with the Ohio Board of Regents.

Central State University had its auspicious beginnings in 1887 as part of its parent institution, Wilberforce University, one of the oldest historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the nation. Wilberforce opened its door in 1856 at Tawawa Springs, OH, in affiliation with the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church. In 1887, in an effort to ensure a financial base for Wilberforce similar to that at other state-supported institutions, the Ohio General Assembly (OGA) enacted legislation to create a Combined Normal and Industrial Department at Wilberforce University "open to all applicants of good and moral character," with the objectives to provide teacher training and inaugurate technical training programs for minority students. The Combined Normal and Industrial Department operated as part of Wilberforce but under a separate board of trustees appointed to govern its state-financed operations. In 1941, the Ohio General Assembly changed the department's name to the College of Education and Industrial Arts (CEIA); six years later, in 1947, CEIA split from Wilberforce University. In 1951, the General Assembly changed the name of CEIA to Central State College with state-supported operations limited to teacher preparation, industrial arts and business education. In the same year, Central State College became accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA) of Colleges and Schools.

In 1965, Central State was granted University status by the Ohio General Assembly and the HLC. The University organized itself into five colleges and schools--the College of Education, the School of Music and Art, the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business Administration, and School of Graduate Studies. The programs of the School of Music and Art were later incorporated into the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2010, the University again reorganized itself, this time into four colleges--the College of Science and Engineering, College of Business, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and College of Education. In 2011, the University created a University College to provide academic support services for new first-time students. Today, CSU’s four academic colleges offer thirty four undergraduate programs leading to baccalaureate degrees and one graduate program in the College of Education leading to a master’s degree in Education. The University’s five divisions-- Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, Information Technology and Institutional Advancement—complete the organizational structure of the University and support its academic mission.

Accreditation History

Central State University earned its initial regional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1949, two years after the split of the College of Education and Industrial Arts from Wilberforce University and soon after it was renamed Central State College. The University has undergone six subsequent accreditation reviews with uninterrupted accreditation by the HLC to the present. Like many other HLC-accredited institutions, CSU was placed on a decennial cycle for continued accreditation under the HLC’s Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality (PEAQ) process.

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  March 1968: Comprehensive accreditation evaluation
  

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  January 1979: Comprehensive accreditation evaluation
  

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  May 1989: Comprehensive accreditation evaluation
  

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  December 1991: HLC Focused Evaluation
  

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  May 1998: Comprehensive accreditation evaluation after the scheduled 1997 visit was postponed for a year due to major transition in CSU leadership during the period between 1995-1997
  

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  May 2003: Comprehensive accreditation evaluation
  

Results: Both reports submitted in 2005 and approved; no further follow-ups were needed.

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  July 22, 2012: Institutional Annual Report (IAR) data for 2012 submitted to the HLC was followed by a communication from the HLC regarding the University’s 3-year student loan default rate and the ratio of full-time enrollment (FTE) for undergraduate students to undergraduate degrees awarded.
  

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  April 22-24: Next scheduled comprehensive evaluation
  

CSU has undergone tremendous growth in student enrollment, fiscal and physical infrastructure since the 2003 visit and is expected to continue to grow in the next decade as the University embarks on new projects including construction of a new student center which will serve as a student union. The campus maps below in Figure 2 demonstrate the growth of the CSU main campus and the CSU-Dayton location campus over the past few years.

Figure 1: CSU Main Campus

Similarly, the CSU-Dayton Location has grown within the past few years after its relocation to current address at 840 Germantown Street, Dayton, Ohio 45402. This relocation of the CSU- Dayton has allowed the University to expand its Dayton operations to serve the downtown community better. Figure 2 below provides an aerial view of the CSU-Dayton Location.

Figure 2: CSU-Dayton

As the state of Ohio’s only public HBCU, Central State University has a proud and distinguished 125-year history, with major accomplishments that include the following:

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  In 2012, the Ohio legislature approved the designation of Central State University as a land grant University.
  
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  In October 2009, Central State University was named an Ohio Center of Excellence in Emerging Technologies, a designation that recognizes its prominence in graduating students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
  
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  In November 2011, Central State University was named an Ohio Center of Excellence in Societal and Cultural Transformation, affirming the University’s national reputation in the fine and performing arts.
  
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  Central State University’s Grammy nominated chorus has traveled and performed globally throughout Europe and Asia.
  
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  The Central State Marching Marauders appeared in the movie, “David Chapelle’s Block Party”.
  
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  Central State University – Dayton is the administrative home of the internationally renowned dance troupe, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC). DCDC is the oldest modern dance company in Ohio.
  
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  CSU’s main campus is adjacent to the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, which provides a rich internship site for CSU students.
  
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  CSU’s KeyBank Stock Trading Room is a state-of-the-art financial learning lab where Central State’s students gain firsthand experience and knowledge of global securities and commodity transacting.
  
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  CSU’s Water Resources Management Program is one of only two undergraduate programs in the nation; CSU is the only Historically Black University to offer the program.
  
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  CSU’s Manufacturing Engineering Program has a 100 percent job placement rate.
  
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  CSU has received a $600K grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a sharable Self-Optimizing and Cooperative Control Cyber Sensors Network platform. The grant undergirds the University’s commitment to increase its research capacity with the goal of developing a focused research center in two years.
  
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  CSU is home to the oldest Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Battalion at a Historically Black University.
  
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  The Cosby Mass Communications Center at CSU is home to WCSU 88.9 FM, the first radio station at a Historically Black College; and a state-of the art recording studio.
  

Several new changes have occurred in the University’s organizational structure since the 2003 HLC accreditation visit:

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  The University’s new President, Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond was welcomed on the campus on July 1, 2012. President Jackson-Hammond replaced President Emeritus John W. Garland, who served as President for 15 years. Based on the new energy that has been injected into the campus community following the arrival of CSU’s 8^th president, it is apparent that CSU’s executive leadership team, discussed in more detail in the Criterion Five, is committed to leading the University successfully into a future of continued distinction.
  
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  In March 2011, the University reorganized its academic structure to better serve students and focus on its mission. In 2003, the University was comprised of the College of Business and Industry (COBI), the College of Education, and the College of Arts & Sciences. Under the new structure, the University created an additional college, the College of Science and Engineering (STEM), to increase the STEM student population by highlighting the opportunities and uniqueness of CSU STEM programs. This organizational change moved the physical and natural sciences from the former College of Arts & Sciences and the engineering disciplines from the College of Business and Industry to the newly created College of Science and Engineering. In addition to the new College of Science and Engineering, the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences was developed, replacing the College of Arts & Sciences. Without the “Industry” disciplines, the College of Business now has the opportunity to focus on the business disciplines rather than managing both business and technology programs. The College of Education was reviewed as part of the above reorganization, but no structural changes were made.
  
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  In 2011-2012, the University College was established to focus on addressing the unique issues and needs of freshmen students, including helping them to transition to college life as well as adjust to college level academics; improve the overall campus success for freshmen students; and serve as a catalyst for increasing freshmen retention rates. Currently, the University College, under the leadership of an associate dean, is housed within the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences. Through this reorganization, the University has changed some processes and will continue to review and make improvements as deemed appropriate. There may be some consideration in the future, for example, to establishing the University College as its own College with its own Dean. As University College continues to integrate into the institutional structure, the University will provide close oversight and make decisions regarding the College that are in the best interest of CSU students.
  
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  The former CSU-West has been transformed into CSU-Dayton. The Dayton location serves both non-traditional and traditional students and has grown tremendously since the 2003 HLC visit. The campus now has its own dean. The Dayton location strengthens CSU’s ties to the Dayton community, and allows the University to serve many non-traditional students in the local community, consistent with the University’s mission.
  

The University is also currently conducting a search to fill the position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs after CSU’s Provost of three years accepted the presidency of the University of Maryland, East Shores, and the position of Associate Dean of the University College. Both positions are currently filled by interim administrators, and both are expected to be filled by the end of the 2012-2013 academic year.

In addition to the above substantive changes, several new academic and non-academic departments have been established to enhance efficiency of operations. These new departments include the following:

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  The Office of University Public Relations has been established and has grown from a one person shop to a department with four staff members. The Director of Public Relations reports directly to the President.
  
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  An Academic Planning and Assessment Office has been established and an Associate Vice President hired to lead the department and serve as the HLC Accreditation Liaison Officer. The Associate Vice President also supports program accreditation efforts by working closely with Deans, Chairs and faculty in the four academic colleges. The Associate Vice President for Planning and Assessment reports directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
  
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  The Office of Online Learning has been established and a Director hired to lead Online Learning efforts on the campus. The Director of Online Learning reports directly to the Associate Vice President for Planning and Assessment.
  
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  Conferences and Event Services has been established with a Coordinator who reports directly to the Director of University Public Relations.
  
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  An Office of Recreation and Intramural Services was created with a Coordinator who reports directly to the Athletic Director.
  
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  An Office of Global Learning has been established and a Director hired to allow CSU to attract more international students and scholars.
  
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  An Office of Workforce Development has been established under a new Director and placed at CSU-Dayton to permit CSU to better meet the needs of the business community as well as individual students. The Director reports to the Dean of CSU-Dayton.
  

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  CSU’s Health Center has greatly improved and a full-time physician was hired as director. The director reports directly to the Vice President for Student Affairs. 
  
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  Bookstore operations were assumed by the University with a staff of five employees.  The acquisition of the Bookstore brought about consistency for the students as well as lower costs. 
  

Preparation for the Comprehensive 2013 HLC Visit

Central State University began engaging the campus community in the Self-Study process in the Fall 2011 when a select group of administrators, faculty and staff was appointed by then President John Garland to serve on the Self-Study Leadership Team and Steering Committee. Members of the Leadership Team and Steering Committee attended the 2011 HLC Annual Conference in the early planning stages of the Self-Study process, and the 2012 HLC Annual Conference. The writing of the accreditation Self-Study report began in the spring of 2012 when the Office of Planning and Assessment was established under the Division of Academic Affairs to lead the process. The Self-Study process continued throughout the summer of 2012 and into the Fall 2012.

During the 2011 HLC Annual Conference, the CSU team learned of planned changes in the HLC Criteria for Accreditation which would affect institutions such with scheduled 2013 evaluation visits. During the CSU 2011 University Institute, members of the campus community accordingly engaged in an analysis of the University's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within the context of the new HLC Criteria for Accreditation. The formation of the following Self-Study committees began after the Institute, even though membership continued to evolve during the various stages of the Self-Study:

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  Leadership Team - Consisting of the president and his/her Cabinet, this group provided overarching leadership in the preparation of the Self-Study process. The team was charged with guiding the Steering Committee and with proposing appropriate linkages between the past, ongoing and future operations to improve the entire University.
  
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  Self-Study Editorial Committee – This committee was charged with reviewing the Self- Study report, checking the grammatical and syntactic errors, and editing the report to reflect a single institutional voice while making recommendations on any additional evidence needed from the Steering Committee.
  
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  Steering Committee - Consisting of administrators, faculty and staff from both academic and non-academic departments, this committee was responsible for writing the Self-Study report and guiding the Criteria Working Groups in the selection of evidence for the report as required for each of the Criteria for Accreditation.
  
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  Criteria Working Groups - Consisting of faculty and staff from academic and non-academic departments at the University, each working group was responsible for collecting evidence for each Criterion and Core component.
  
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  Federal Compliance Group - Consisting of staff in the Offices of Planning and Assessment, Research and Sponsored Programs, Title III and the Financial Aid Office. This Group was responsible for collecting evidence that the University is in compliance with all federal regulations, including Title IV (Financial Aid).
  
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  Institutional Snapshot Group - Consisting of staff in the Planning and Assessment and Assessment and Institutional Research, Financial Aid and Registrar's offices, this Group has been responsible for quantitative data used in the Self-Study.  
  

During the April 2012 HLC Annual Conference, several members of the CSU Leadership Team and Steering Committee met with CSU-HLC Liaison, Dr. Robert Appleson, and attended the Self-Study pre-workshop and various concurrent sessions on preparation of the Self-Study. On April 19, 2012, Dr. Robert Appleson visited the CSU campus where he met with then President, Mr. John Garland, the Cabinet, and the Self-Study Steering Committee, and addressed the campus community in a Town Hall meeting to answer questions from students, faculty and staff regarding the 2013 HLC visit. Information received from Dr. Appleson was beneficial in the preparation of the Self-Study Report and the drafting of the institution’s response to the “concerns” presented by the HLC Peer Review Team during the 2003 visit.

Recognizing the importance of the Self-Study process as a self-evaluative and reflective process, which allows the University community an opportunity to collectively and collaboratively examine and reflect on existing institutional operations and processes, identify and celebrate strengths as well as challenges and plan for improvements and future advancements, Central State University has established the following goals for the Self-Study process:

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   To affirm the University’s mission, to ensure that it continues the strong commitment to serve its students, support faculty and staff and the needs of the community the University serves
   
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   Inform, promote and advance the University’s mission and strategic plan through its compelling priorities
   
3. 
   Demonstrate that the University meets and exceeds the HLC’s criteria for reaffirmation of accreditation
   
4. 
   Identify challenges and areas for improvement, develop appropriate and timely measures and identify or reallocate resources to address them
   
5. 
   Demonstrate that the University has responded appropriately to the findings and recommendations of the HLC Peer Evaluators during the 2003 visit
   
6. 
   Reflect on the University’s achievements and service to its students and the community for 125 years, particularly its successes in last decade and celebrate all the people who have made this possible - the faculty, staff, students, alumni, community constituencies
   

 CSU’s Responses to Concerns from 2003 HLC Visit

Through collaborative efforts by the Board of Trustees, administrative leadership, faculty and staff, the University has responded intentionally and strategically to all concerns raised by the HLC Peer Reviewer during the 2003 visit as follows:

Concern #1 - CSU's Library Services:

“CSU students and faculty rely on library resources and downloads available through OhioLink. However, data is not available (and perhaps may not be retrievable) on the actual student usage of OhioLink resources or downloads because the system only captures information from the CSU library and not data accessed from residence hall rooms or from an off-campus site. As such, it is not clear how effectively these resources are used or how the institution assesses the return on its investment in these resources.”