University of Virginia Library

University Organizes Self-Study
To Evaluate Entire System

By BARBARA BROWNELL

A self-study Steering
Committee, appointed by
President Edgar F. Shannon Jr.
to reaffirm University
accreditation, is beginning its
process of intensive evaluation.
Conducted every ten years, the
evaluation program recognizes
University accomplishments,
suggests improvements and
projects plans for the future.

The Steering Committee,
headed by Mathematics Prof.
Edwin E. Floyd, and
Presidential Asst. Donald W.
Jones, is in the process of
naming sub-committees to
study various aspects of the
University and to compile
comprehensive reports in each
area.

A team of outside
educators will "check the
honesty of the self-study and
add disinterested appraisal of
the entire academic process,"
according to the committee
report. If the reports are
acceptable, the Southern
Association of Colleges and
Schools will reaffirm
accreditation.

"We are most confident
that our accreditation will be
reaffirmed without difficulty,"
Mr. Floyd said. "The Southern
Association report is not
produced every ten years
simply as a token of
reaffirmation, but to suggest
helpful ideas for the future of
the University."

University-wide
sub-committees are expected
to familiarize themselves with
recent University studies and
to conduct organizational
meetings in April or May.

After studying the Steering
Committee Manual, each
committee will compose an
outline of proposed study and

submit it to the Steering
Committee by Sept. 30, 1973.

"University-wide
committee chairmen have
already met with Mr. Gordon
Sweet from the Southern
Association who has given
them some guidelines for their
separate studies," Mr. Floyd
said. "We are using this spring
as a planning period to work
out study schedules for next
year.

"When the study begins
next fall, it will be an elaborate
procedure. We expect to be
finished by next spring, and
then we will compile the
formal report during the
summer to have it ready for
the visiting team in the fall of
1974," he added.

The University-wide
committees, which will be