To: The Wellesley Community
From: President Paula A. Johnson
Re: Wellesley’s Reaccreditation
Date: November 1, 2019
 

I am so pleased to share the news that Wellesley College has been reaccredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). This process, which began in March 2017, could not have happened without the leadership and hard work of many members of our community, in particular, a steering committee that included faculty, students, and senior leadership who brought important perspectives that strengthened our work immeasurably.

The steering committee was co-chaired by Bryan Burns, professor of classical studies, and Pamela Taylor, assistant provost of institutional planning and assessment, and staffed by Marianne Cooley, assistant vice president and secretary of the Board of Trustees. Together Bryan, Pam, Marianne, and the steering committee led the development of the self-study, a tremendous undertaking that not only resulted in our reaccreditation, but now serves as a valuable resource and foundation from which to build a strategic plan that will strengthen the College in the future.

In its letter to us, NECHE said, “Wellesley is a remarkable institution with a compelling mission, a rich history and an exceptionally vibrant academic culture that positions the College well to address its challenges and continue to achieve its mission.” It went on to commend the College for our strong culture of faculty engagement in governance, our practice of approaching institutional challenges collectively, and our dedication to the holistic student experience.

Accreditation is an ongoing process, and so our work will continue. NECHE outlined four key areas Wellesley needs to focus on going forward and asked us to submit an interim report on our progress in the spring of 2024. The key areas include:

  1. Formulate a comprehensive strategic plan that includes campus renewal, the College’s general education requirements, and financial sustainability.
  2. Evaluate the effectiveness of academic and institutional governance structures and alignment of faculty and staff resources with curricular and programmatic needs.
  3. Achieve student diversity goals.
  4. Enhance the culture of assessment, including implementing direct assessment strategies to examine student learning outcomes.

We have begun, or plan to begin, work in each of these areas. Strategic planning is underway, through which we are developing a comprehensive strategy that reflects our aspirations and maintains the principles of inclusive excellence and financial sustainability. We remain focused on campus renewal, led by the Office of Facilities Management with the support of the Campus & Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees. Finally, the Office of Institutional Research has been working very closely with the Office of the Provost, the Division of Student Life, academic departments and programs, and individual faculty to deepen and expand the culture of assessment on campus.

I look forward to conducting the critical process of practical dreaming with the Wellesley community in the year ahead. I know that the work we do together will dramatically enhance Wellesley’s ability to achieve its mission now and in the future.