Thank you from HLC Steering Committee On April 7 and 8, two site visitors from the Higher Learning Commission (UND’s institutional accreditation association) were on campus to determine whether we have made adequate progress on assessment of student learning. Many faculty, staff, and administrators have worked hard during the past four years to help prepare the University for this visit. And many of you took time from busy schedules to meet with our site visitors when they were on campus, often juggling other appointments and meetings to make yourselves available in response to their requests. Members of the HLC steering committee would like to thank you for those efforts. A final version of the report and official notification of our status will arrive sometime this summer, but, during the exit interview, site visitors were complimentary about UND’s progress on assessment of student learning, especially regarding the degree to which UND faculty, through faculty-run committees like the Assessment Committee and GERC, have taken responsibility for oversight. They also reminded us that progress is fragile during the early years of any new initiative. So, until assessment of student learning is naturally and productively embedded in all academic programs, it will remain important to keep a strong campus-wide focus on assessment. Submitted on behalf of members of the HLC Steering Committee: Helen Melland (nursing) and Joan Hawthorne (assistant provost), co-chairs; Kim Kenville (aviation), Paul Sum (political science and public administration), Richard Schultz (electrical engineering), Eric Johnson (law), Margaret Healy (educational leadership), Sherrie Fleshman (languages), Wayne Swisher (graduate school), Renee Mabey (physical therapy), Lillian Elsinga (dean of students), Jane Sims (continuing education), Valerie Johnson (student), and Sarah Owens (student). -- Joan Hawthorne, Assistant Provost, VPAA/Provost Office, joan_hawthorne@und.nodak.edu, 7-4684