By J. E. BARKER

University Relations

MURFREESBORO – It’s “full steam ahead” for ChowanUniversity as the school inches closer to celebrating its 170^th anniversary.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has completed its review of Chowan University’s Fifth-Year Interim Report with no additional reports to follow up on. The report, addressing 17 standards and including a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Impact Report, showed that Chowan is in full compliance with all 17 standards.

“This is the second time since Chowan’s reaffirmation in 2009 that the university has been reviewed by SACSCOC,” explained University Provost Dr. Danny Moore. “In both instances, we did not have to provide a follow-up report. As a SACSCOC reviewer, I can attest that this is a rare experience for any institution.”

In addition, SACSCOC fully accepted Chowan’s QEP Impact Report stating, “The institution has adequately described the initial goals and intended outcomes of its QEP, focusing on improving critical thinking…The Chowan Critical Thinking Program is a very ambitious approach to improve critical thinking among the institution’s students.”

The report also attested to Chowan’s improvement in students’ use of critical thinking elements over the past four year period.

“Seven years ago, we identified a deficiency among our students in their ability to think clearly and critically, and the Chowan Critical Thinking Program was developed as our QEP to address this issue,” stated Dr. Keith Reich, Chair of the Department of Religion and author of Chowan’s QEP Impact Report. “A positive response to the QEP report reinforces my opinion that Chowan University students are growing in their grasp of critical thinking. If our students can master these critical thinking skills, they will be more employable and much better prepared for any career they choose to pursue.”

SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in eleven Southern states. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the many diverse member institutions. The mission of SACSCOC is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions and focuses on six core values – integrity, continuous quality improvement, peer review/self-regulation, accountability, student learning and transparency.

As one of the fastest growing universities in North Carolina for the past 10 years, Chowan University, a Christian liberal arts university founded in 1848, enrolls nearly 1,500 students each year Chowan’s park-like campus features 390 acres including Lake Vann, the beloved “Squirrel Park” and the original McDowell Columns Building, erected in 1851 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Chowan offers over 80 undergraduate academic programs among The School of Arts and Sciences, The School of Education and The School of Business, and offers Masters Degrees through the School of Graduate Studies. Several departments are also individually accredited, such as Teacher Education Program’s accreditation by NCDPI and NCATE, as well as the Music program’s institutional accreditation by NASM.

Chowan offers 16 varsity sports, as well as co-ed cheerleading, with 12 programs in the CIAA conference and all with dual-affiliation in the NCAA D-II and NCCAA.

For more information about Chowan University, visit www.chowan.edu or call 1-888-4-CHOWAN.