L&S Colloquium on Undergraduate Education

L&S Colloquium Highlights Accreditation Process

By Susan Hagstrom, November 24, 2003

On November 10, 2003, the College of Letters & Science Undergraduate Division hosted a panel discussion on the recent Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accreditation Process at UC Berkeley. The process included the establishment of campus working groups that were chaired by faculty members and composed of faculty, students (graduate and undergraduate), and staff.

Moderated by Vice Provost and committee chair Christina Maslach, the panelists (working group members Professors Richard Candida Smith, Meg Conkey, and Hertha Sweet Wong) provided an overview of the WASC report, highlights from the discoveries and recommendations made by their respective working groups, and a brief report on the site visit.
The Educational Effectiveness Report developed by the group covered four specific topics:

• Preparing Students for Successful Capstone Experiences
• Reinventing Large-Enrollment Courses
• Enhancing the Culture of Teaching
• Improving Academic Program Review

The panelists focused their remarks on the first three areas, then entertained questions from the audience.

For a detailed description of the process, and to view the final report, see the Berkeley accreditation website.

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The L & S colloquia, which take place once or twice each semester, provide opportunities to learn about and discuss the overarching issues affecting undergraduate education at U C Berkeley. For more information on upcoming or past programs, contact Alix Schwartz at alix@uclink4.berkeley.edu or (510) 642-8378.