Also: have they changed your WesBox number? Check your ePortfolio!
As you’re likely aware by now, Wesleyan is in the midst of the reaccreditation process, a lengthy evaluation process that has required a year-and-a-half of institutional self study. According to Wesleyan’s Accreditation site, the school was last reviewed in 2002, so we’re due for an oil check.
Have complaints about Wes? Want things to be better? Next month may be a good time to voice them. According to a recent email from Rob Rosenthal, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Wesleyan will be inspected by a team representing the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (hereby referred to as, aherm—The Commission) between September 30 and October 3:
As you may remember, the next step in the accreditation process is the comprehensive evaluation visit September 30 through October 3, 2012 by the team representing NEAS&C. We look forward to their constructive criticism and to showing them what an extraordinary institution we are!
Make sure to wear a clean shirt that day! This is kind of like that time you were at summer camp and they told you the ACA inspectors were coming and you had to tuck your bed in extra nice, except not at all.
If you’re in the mood for a hot and heavy 152-page PDF report, check out the University’s final self-study report here, which was submitted to The Commission as of last week. If you’re wondering, yes, it does mention some controversial changes to Wesleyan’s financial aid policy—this comes up in the Preface, page four:
The University is just now changing its financial aid policy as part of a new effort to achieve “sustainable affordability.” For years, Wesleyan has raised tuition well above inflation and increased financial aid at an even greater rate. The percentage of the tuition charges that goes to financial aid has risen steadily, and this is not sustainable without drawing down more from the endowment or increasing student loans. We remain committed to meeting the full financial need of admitted students without increasing their indebtedness, and to truly honor this commitment, we expect in future to give some consideration to the capacity of some applicants to pay, as we do now with transfer and international students. We will read all applications without regard for the ability to pay, and we will be need-blind for as many students as possible. Currently we project this to be about 90% of each class (depending on the level of need). As we raise more funds for the endowment, we will be able to build a more generous and sustainable financial aid program.
In other all-campus-email-that-you-may-not-have-bothered-to-read news, they’re changing some of our WesBox numbers! This important tidbit arrives near the end of an 8/20 email titled “WesStation Package Service,” buried in the middle of a massive 305-word single paragraph:
Packages are sorted primarily by WesBox so it is important that your WesBox number is included clearly on you package. Be sure to check portfolio for your WesBox number, as some WesBox assignments have been changed for upper classmen.
Want to see if your WesBox has been changed? Go to ePortfolio –> Academic Career –> Student Profile.
Has it been changed? You’re gonna want to find out who’s got your old WesBox number. Make friends with hir now. Trust me on this one.