The document discusses an upcoming site visit from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to evaluate the college's accreditation. The HLC is one of six regional accreditation agencies that reviews colleges and universities in the north central region. For reaccreditation, the college must conduct a self-study demonstrating it meets the HLC's five criteria for accreditation related to mission, ethics, teaching/learning quality and support, evaluation/improvement, and resources/planning. The self-study has been submitted for review. The site visit will occur on January 26-27, with reviewers visiting all departments. Faculty and staff should familiarize themselves with the self-study and school policies in preparation.

1. HLC UPDATE
“
Also in this Issue
 Criteria for Accredi-
tation
 How has the mission
package changed
since 2004?
 Questions about the
Jan. 26-27 site visit
What is the Higher
Learning Commission?
The HLC Site Visit is January 26-27, 2015
 One of six regional accreditation agencies
 Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
 Accredits degree-granting institutions of higher education
 Serves the 19 states of the north central region, including
Missouri
 Accredits the University of Missouri, community colleges and
all other public state institutions of higher education in Mis-
souri
 Institutions are evaluated against the Higher Learning Com-
mission’s Criteria for Accreditation. The evaluation consists
of the Quality Initiative (or the Pathways Project); the Assur-
ance Argument; and Federal Compliance.
 To be reaccredited by the HLC, the college must:
 Produce a self-study to assure that we meet the HLC
accreditation criteria
 Provide evidence to accompany our self-study that
proves we meet the HLC Criteria
 Critically evaluate ourselves against the criteria to
identify our strengths, accomplishments, and areas
that need improvement
 Complete Federal Compliance Reporting
 See the next page for information about the HLC’s accredita-
tion criteria.
State Technical College of Missouri November 12, 2014

2. The Criteria for Accreditation
Our self-study must show, using evidence, that STC meets the criteria identified by the HLC. What are they really asking?
Criterion 1: The Mission
Criterion Statement: The mission is clear and guides our operations
HLC wants to ensure our college fulfills its mission, “to prepare students for profitable employment and a life of learning.” To address that
in our argument, we consider every aspect of our college and how it relates back to our mission.
Criterion 2: Integrity, Ethical and Responsible Conduct
Criterion Statement: The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible
HLC wants to ensure that STC operates with integrity in all of its financial, personnel, and auxiliary functions and establishes and follows
fair and ethical policies and processes for its governing boards, administration, faculty and staff.
Criterion 3: Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources and Support
Criterion Statement: The institution provides high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered.
HLC wants to ensure STC’s degree programs are appropriate to higher education and that the college has the faculty, staff, support ser-
vices, and infrastructure needed to provide effective, high-quality educational programs and services.
Criterion 4: Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement
Criterion Statement: The college demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning environments,
and support services, and evaluates their effectiveness.
HLC wants to know that the college demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs and is committed to education-
al achievement and improvement through ongoing assessment of student learning, and attention to retention, persistence, and comple-
tion rates in its degree and certificate programs.
Criterion 5: Resources, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness
Criterion Statement: The college’s resources, structures, and processes are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve educational
quality and plan for the future.
HLC wants to ensure that the college plans for the future, that its resources support its current educational programs, the college’s gov-
ernance and administrative structures promote effective leadership, and it works systematically to improve its performance.
Self-Study
Update
We have completed the Assurance
Argument and we are finalizing the
evidence and federal compliance
data. The self-study will be submit-
ted to the Higher Learning Com-
mission for its review this week.
We will notify everyone when the
self-study is posted to Eagle
Online and ready for you to review.
Thank you for all of your input and
feedback throughout this process!

3. Questions
about the visit
What are some staff
departments the HLC
reviewers might visit?
All staff departments will
probably be visited. The
office of the president
may be heavily involved
and academic affairs will
probably be the most in-
volved. In addition, ad-
ministration and finance,
development, institutional
technology (including the
library), and student ser-
vices should be prepared
for visits. Students, facul-
ty, and staff will have
open forums. Department
chairs may meet with the
team.
How can I make sure I
am prepared for the site
visit?
Your knowledge is valua-
ble. Faculty, staff, and
administration can pre-
pare themselves for the
site visit by taking ad-
vantage of all-employee
meetings to be scheduled
for this month and in Jan-
uary. Also, review the
-study document, or at
very least, the summaries
of each criterion that will
be available on Eagle
Online. Employees
should be familiar with
current school policies,
program assessment re-
ports, the shared govern-
ance process and any
other procedures that
impact faculty, staff, stu-
dents and curriculum.
Our Mission in Action
STC graduate Bryce Monroig, left, was awarded $5,000 first prize in the #BOOM
pitch competition in April. The competition is an annual entrepreneurial summit.
Also shown is Sean Siebert, organizer of the #BOOM organization.
How Has the Mission Package
Been Updated Since 2004?
STC’s mission package provides institutional vision and values state-
ments that guide the college in fulfilling the mission and is clear in defining
areas of special emphasis. It was last updated through shared govern-
ance and approved by the Board of Regents on Jan. 14, 2014.
The most obvious change in the mission package is our name change,
from Linn State Technical College, to State Technical College of Missouri.
Another change is in how the college defines “profitable employment.”
The college is putting more focus on entrepreneurship, and the definition
reflects that emphasis. The mission states, “Profitable employment is self-
employment and entrepreneurship as well as working for an employer.”
The emphasis is also stated in the college’s institutional values.
A strong example of how STC is meeting this emphasis is through the
Business Program’s affiliation with #BOOM, an entrepreneurial program in
Columbia, which holds an annual pitch competition. Last year, an STC
student from the Machine Tool Technology program won first place and
$5,000 of start-up funding with his invention. That is an achievement we
can all be proud of!