2008 Self-Study Design

Selected Topics Approach

After much consideration, examination and discussions with university senior management and with the Middle States Commission (MSCHE), the Steering Committee recommended a "Selected Topics" approach for Carnegie Mellon's 2008 Self-Study. Under such an approach, institutions are permitted by Middle States to focus on a subset of the accreditation standards in the Self-Study Report, provided that the institution can demonstrate that it satisfies the remaining accreditation standards through existing documentation available to the Committee. The existing documentation is compiled and presented in the form of "Document Roadmaps," which are tentatively reviewed by the Middle States Commission prior to approval of a Selected Topics Approach. 

 Selected Standards 

Carnegie Mellon's 2008 Self-Study Report focused on five selected standards:

• Standard 2: Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal
• Standard 3: Institutional Resources
• Standard 7: Institutional Assessment
• Standard 12: General Education
• Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning

Following extensive discussion with the university's MSCHE liaison, it was decided that the core issues of assessment, both in institutional context and educational effectiveness (Standards 7 and 14), were an appropriate focus for the Self-Study. Planning and Resources (Standards 2 and 3) were added as evident corollaries for institutional assessment, and general education (Standard 12) was suggested based on the college-specific models of general education throughout the university.

2008 Self-Study Design Document 

Carnegie Mellon's Self-Study Design Proposal was formally approved by MSCHE in October 2006. The Self-Study Design served as a useful guide for launching the Self-Study process.