Criteria for Accreditation > Possible Sources/Committees > Criterion Four
Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of KnowledgeCriterion Statement: The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission. (Criterion Four includes General Education)
Core Component 4a: The organization demonstrates, through the actions of its board, administrators, students, faculty, and staff, that it values a life of learning. Not same as "life-long learning"
Examples of Evidence
 | The board has approved and disseminated statements supporting freedom
of inquiry for the organization’s students, faculty, and staff, and
honors those statements in its practices.
Cite "academic freedom
statement" in catalogs (Graduate – p 238; Undergrad – p 11; Faculty
Handbook – pp 23-24) |
| The organization’s planning and pattern of financial allocation
demonstrate that it values and promotes a life of learning for its
students, faculty, and staff. Cite annual budget allocations;
Performance Measures; Academic Budgets; Student Affairs budgets; |
| The organization supports professional development opportunities and
makes them available to all of its administrators, faculty, and staff.
Cite New Faculty Orientation; Graduate Assistant Orientation;
development workshops, Academic Development Center, past activities of
Faculty Development Coordination Committee |
| The organization publicly acknowledges the achievements of students
and faculty in acquiring, discovering, and applying knowledge.
Foundation, University, and College awards for excellence in Teaching,
Research, and Service; departmental and college "outstanding student"
awards; Student Affairs student achievement awards |
| The faculty and students, in keeping with the organization’s mission,
produce scholarship and create knowledge through basic and applied
research. Listings from departments and colleges; Interdisciplinary
Forum; Missouri Academy of Science, etc.; recently prepared scholarly
activities report to Academic Affairs; |
| The organization and its units use scholarship and research to stimulate organizational and educational improvements. See above and document |
Core Component 4b: The organization demonstrates that acquisition of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational programs. Includes General Education
Examples of Evidence
| The organization integrates general education into all of its
undergraduate degree programs through curricular and experiential
offerings intentionally created to develop the attitudes and skills
requisite for a life of learning in a diverse society.
General
Education Goals and structure; CGEIP assessment reports; Service
Learning; Cooperative Education; Internships |
| The organization regularly reviews the relationship between its
mission and values and the effectiveness of its general education.
CGEIP assessment reports; department documentation for individual
general education courses; Assessment; |
| The organization assesses how effectively its graduate programs
establish a knowledge base on which students develop depth of expertise.
Department assessment of graduate programs; Interdisciplinary Forum;
Graduate Council reports; Graduate College; Program improvements based
on assessment results; |
| The organization demonstrates the linkages between curricular and
co-curricular activities that support inquiry, practice, creativity, and
social responsibility. Service Learning, Cooperative Education, and
internships; Student Affairs-sponsored service activities; Campus
Ministers Association reports; Greek organization activities |
| Learning outcomes demonstrate that graduates have achieved breadth of
knowledge and skills and the capacity to exercise intellectual inquiry.
Program assessment; surveys of graduates, employers, and other
surveys; CGEIP review and assessment; general education assessments
conducted by departments; national surveys with comparisons to Missouri State
students; |
| Learning outcomes demonstrate effective preparation for continued learning. Assessment activities |
Core Component 4c: The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society.
Examples of Evidence
| Regular academic program reviews include attention to currency and
relevance of courses and programs.
Cite periodic CBHE program
reviews; Faculty Senate-Academic Affairs program reviews; annual
departmental assessment reports; CGEIP; |
| In keeping with its mission, learning goals and outcomes include
skills and professional competence essential to a diverse workforce.
Program accreditation; license; employer and graduate surveys; |
| Learning outcomes document that graduates have gained the skills and
knowledge they need to function in diverse local, national, and global
societies. General education goals; National surveys (UCLA); general
education exit exam; employer surveys; Globalization requirements by
programs (COBA); |
| Curricular evaluation involves alumni, employers, and other external
constituents who understand the relationships among the course of study,
the currency of the curriculum, and the utility of the knowledge and
skills gained. Graduate surveys; alumni surveys; department and
college advisory committees; |
| The organization supports creation and use of scholarship by students
in keeping with its mission. Department and college awards to
students; lists of undergraduate and graduate presentations and
publication; Interdisciplinary Forum; professional service by students
and student organizations; |
| Faculty expects students to master the knowledge and skills necessary
for independent learning in programs of applied practice.
Program
accreditation; license; certification; Placement rates and activities; |
| The organization provides curricular and co-curricular opportunities that promote social responsibility. Service Learning; service activities; "hours devoted to service" reports; Public Affairs convocations and support; |
Core Component 4d: The organization provides support to ensure that faculty, students, and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly.
Examples of Evidence
| The organization’s academic and student support programs contribute
to the development of student skills and attitudes fundamental to
responsible use of knowledge. Ask for report by departments? Some
Service Learning courses; |
| The organization follows explicit policies and procedures to ensure
ethical conduct in its research and instructional activities.
Federal
reporting; Human Subjects Committee; Biosafety Committee; environmental
hazards officer; Academic Integrity Committee; Institutional Animal Care
and Use Committee; |
| The organization encourages curricular and co-curricular activities
that relate responsible use of knowledge to practicing social
responsibility. Service Learning; Report by departments; |
| The organization provides effective oversight and support services to
ensure the integrity of research and practice conducted by its faculty
and students. Federal Reporting; Human Subjects Committee; Biosafety
Committee; Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee; |
| The organization creates, disseminates, and enforces clear policies on practices involving intellectual property rights. Intellectual Property Policy, Appendix A of Faculty Handbook, pp 102-110; |
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