THE NATIONAL
HISPANIC UNIVERSITY
Capacity and
Preparatory Review
Institutional Presentation
For
Re-Affirmation of Accreditation
November 2006
Introduction
The
National Hispanic University is looking forward
to the WASC Capacity and Preparatory Review. The
University has to admit that it has not been
able to accomplish all that had been planned
because it has continued to undergo leadership
changes since the passing of the founder Dr.
B. Roberto Cruz in September of 2002.
The
President, Dr. David Lopez, was appointed in
September of 2003 after nearly a year of having
an acting president at the helm. The
second important leadership role of Provost
has also undergone changes. Interim Provosts
were named in November 03 and August 05. In
July 06, the President, in consultation with
the Board of Trustees, appointed the current
Acting Provost with the understanding that
a national search would be conducted after
the university received the WASC Capacity and
Preparatory Report. The university leadership
determined that an interim provost would be
needed at this juncture in order to manage
both the academic and student services areas. The
former Interim Provost became a Vice Provost
and managed two academic departments that needed
permanent leadership. One of those departments, “Math,
Science and Computer Science”, was successful
in appointing a new chair. The second
department, Liberal Studies, has not yet appointed
a permanent chair. Before proceeding
with permanent appointment of a Provost, it
was anticipated that the WASC report would
serve to guide the direction of a national
search.
In
addition to these personnel changes, the university
has also seen changes in its student demographics. The
characteristics of our student population have
started to transform since the recruitment
efforts moved to attract “traditional” college-age
students instead of the adult population that
had been the core of NHU’s student body. After
an intense recruitment campaign in spring 2005,
the university saw its largest freshmen class
and cohort (full-time, first-time students)
enter in fall 2005. The same recruitment
approach was followed for the 2006-2007 academic
year and the results are showing in terms of
the type of students we are now enrolling. Predominantly
Hispanic, recently high school graduates, first-generation
college students are now NHU’s students,
and that has brought new needs and challenges
to both academic and student services areas. This
institutional presentation shows the impact
this change has had in the way the University
works these days.
Finally,
there has also been a space change at NHU. In
August 2004, the NHU opened its new, state-of-the-art
building that holds the Library, computer and
science labs, classrooms and administrative
offices. This building gave the university
community not only a new and modern environment
but also a place that is attractive and ready
to develop and expand NHU’s work and
future plans.
Organization of Institutional
Presentation
The
NHU has prepared this presentation to WASC
based on the 2002 recommendations because,
in fact, they were the four most pressing areas
of concern. In addition, the responses
were based on the NHU’s Institutional
Proposal of 2004.
This
institutional presentation is organized into
4 essays: Strategic Planning, Financial Planning,
Educational Quality and Student Support Services. The
presentation includes the data sets required
by WASC, the answer to the WASC 2002 recommendations,
several appendices with information referenced
by the essays and with handbooks on our processes
and procedures, and a table that cross-references
the institutional presentation with WASC Standards.
The
Strategic Planning essay speaks to the results
of the plan that was developed three years
ago stemming from one of WASC recommendations. This
essay covers the current progress in the implementation
of the plan and speaks to the influence it
has had on NHU’s work. It ends with an
assessment of lessons learned, areas of success,
areas that need improvement and expectations
for 2008, when this strategic plan ends.
The
Financial Planning report provides an overview
and background on the status of the NHU’s
financial capacity at this time. This
essay also explains a budget process that is
being planned. And finally, it
provides an outline of the financial strategies
that the University will follow in order to
increase both stability and sustainability.
The
Educational Quality essay analyzes what has
been done so far in terms of quality assurance
and educational effectiveness. In this
essay, the NHU acknowledges that it has not
developed nor implemented the ideas and plans
that NHU’s Institutional Proposal of
2004 had set. However, it shows the steps
that the university has been taking to address
the different issues related to this area that
have arisen and the plans it has in order to
accomplish the plans set before.
The
Student Support essay provides an overview
of student services since the drastic change
in the demographics of the student body. It
also provides a summary of an evaluation report
that was conducted with the cooperation of
the student services staff and the status of
its implementation to date.
The
different appendices and documents included
in the institutional presentation support the
four essays and show how NHU addresses WASC
standards and the core commitment on Institutional
Capacity.
The
NHU is looking forward to the visit of the
external reviewers and is eager to continue
learning from this re-affirmation of accreditation
process to improve its academic offerings and
services to our unique student population.
