2010 Self-Study

Franklin is currently undergoing a self study as part of the ten-year review cycle for accreditation with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.  The self study is intended to explore all aspects of the institution in order to evaluate the success of each area's efforts in carrying out the mission of the college and in providing a quality education.  The process culminates in a Self-Study Report to Middle States’ Commission on Higher Education and a visit to campus by a team of experts in spring 2010.

The process of developing the Self-Study Report is a community-wide effort. In 2008-2009, Working Groups consisting of faculty, administrators, staff, alumni and trustees develop and provide answers to research questions in specific areas of Franklin’s activities. These answers are then combined into initial draft chapters, which the Working Groups and Steering Committee review and revise. In fall 2009, the completed drafts of all chapters are then presented to the whole campus community for review and further comment. The Final Report will be presented to the visitation team in January, 2010. The team will be on campus to review documents and interview members of the community April 12-14, 2010. Middle States will announce its re-accreditation decision in early summer of that year.

Our intended outcomes of this process are:

• To foster institutional coherence, cohesiveness and a shared vision for the future of the institution.
• To demonstrate our compliance with the MSCHE standards of excellence.
• To promote a culture of assessment, and to produce information that will help make key decisions for the future of the institution in a period of transition.
• To recognize and celebrate the institution’s growth and successes over the ten-year self-study period, with emphasis on the most recent five years following the MSCHE monitoring report.

The Steering Committee thanks all members of the Franklin community for their work on this important initiative. We encourage healthy critical feedback through on-line and live public forums as the Self Study takes shape. We want to hear your voice!