Pursuing Michelin in Higher Ed
Accreditation asks whether an institution has the resources and people to do the work, the expertise to do it well, programs that cohere instead of sprawl, a mission that's genuinely its own rather than borrowed from the school down the road, and evidence that it can do all of that again next year, and the year after that. Ingredient quality, mastery of technique, harmony, a distinctive point of view, consistency over time. Essentially, the same five questions; less butter (probably).
Best in Show: Preparing for a Middle States Site Visit
By the time the handler walks into Madison Square Garden, most of the outcome has already been determined. The ring is simply where the work becomes visible to someone else. Your accreditation site visit works the same way. Those two or three days with the evaluation team are the ring. Everything that matters happened before the team arrived.
Why I Love Chairing My Campus Self-Study (Yes, Really)
Higher ed folks hear the word "accreditation" and back off quickly. For most people I worked with, self-study was something you did willingly in the therapist's office, but otherwise fell in the "root canal" or "new transmission for your car" category as something to avoid whenever possible.
Do You Need a Mock Site Visit? (Yes.)
We want your mock site visit to end in applause (metaphorically—though, hey, if an evaluator does clap, let it happen). A mock visit is your best bet for making that happen. Before the reviewers arrive, give yourself the gift of a dress rehearsal. Find the weak spots while you can still fix them. Discover your star performers before the stakes are real. And walk into your site visit with the kind of confidence that only comes from having already done it once.
State Authorization in Higher Ed: Strategy Over Stress
Ask any institutional leader about their least favorite compliance task, and there’s a good chance “state authorization” will come up. Much like “root canal” or “surprise tax audit”, “state authorization” is one of those phrases that inspires dread, confusion, and the unshakeable feeling that you’ve forgotten something. But what if we told you it doesn’t have to be that way? With the right mindset, state authorization can shift from a stress-inducing obligation to a strategic advantage.
An Intro to Our Newest Team Member: Kadera Scanlon
What felt manageable at 8 o’clock feels completely out of control by noon. That shift from “I’ve got this” to “I’m drowning” can happen fast, and it happens to everyone. Chaos is part of life, but staying stuck in it doesn’t have to be. Let’s talk about how to start moving again, even when everything feels like too much.