Kenneth Ruit appointed to NCACS Kenneth Ruit, associate professor of anatomy and cell biology, has been appointed to serve on the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS). Ruit will serve a five-year term as a consultant-evaluator on the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits degree-granting educational institutions in the North Central region. The region includes more than 1,000 colleges and universities extending from West Virginia to Arizona and includes North Dakota. Ruit was appointed on the basis of his experience in medical and graduate education, assessment of student learning, curriculum design and pedagogy. Consultant-evaluators serve on visiting teams that comprehensively evaluate institutions of higher learning and provide the initial recommendations regarding accreditation. A consultant-evaluator usually visits one or two institutions each year as part of an accreditation team. Founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accrediting bodies in the U.S., the Higher Learning Commission is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. -- Shelley Pohlman, Admin Secretary, Public Affairs, spohlman@medicine.nodak.edu, 701-777-4305