Chapter 2: The 2005 Self-Study: An Overview of the Process

Organization of the Report: The Cross-Cutting Themes

The four Cross-Cutting Themes delineated by the HLC enable the Steering Committee to highlight aspects of Missouri State that it believes are exceptionally strong. In addition, this thematic structure fully incorporates the Criteria and Core Components while allowing the Committee to emphasize more than mere compliance with HLC requirements. Therefore, this report employs the themes and their respective sub-themes for organization.

The report discusses Missouri State first as future-oriented (Chapter Three), second as learning-focused (Chapter Four), and third as connected (Chapter Five), before finally summarizing the distinctive nature of the institution (Chapter Six). Within each chapter, the HLC’s suggested sub-themes, as well as some additional ones, further organize the evidence documenting the University’s fulfillment of the Criteria and Core Components. At the end of each chapter, a summary section delineates the University’s strengths, challenges, and recommendations relevant to that chapter.

To assist readers and the Steering Committee in evaluating the University’s strengths and challenges in light of the HLC Criteria, the report includes in parentheses numbers and letters that refer to the Criteria and Core Components.