Winona State University

Office of Assessment

The team's recommendations for action, including its recommendation for continued accreditation of Winona State University at the sixth year, educational specialist degree level with a focused re-evaluation in three years, as shown on the attached Worksheet for the Statement of Affiliation Status.

The reasons for the team's recommendation of a focused reevaluation are: 1) a continuation of a history of very low enrollments in, and completion of, the Educational Specialist Degree program; 2) low enrollments and completion in several of the master's degree programs. This syndrome has been noted by visiting teams in the past and is now viewed as very serious by this team. The team also notes that faculty resources in some programs, especially educational administration, have not improved significantly despite the level of program offered, satisfactory enrollments and earlier NCA admonitions. Faculty scholarly productivity continues to be only marginally acceptable for graduate level programs.

The team did find Winona State University to be a reputable institution fulfilling its role, mission, activities and programs in a very positive manner consistent with its mission statement and resource base. The next comprehensive evaluation should be scheduled in ten years, 2000-2001. The strengths described in this document are those of a fully-accredited institution, and the team found no reason to believe that they will be diminished. Given WSU's record of fulfilling its mission and facing up to its difficulties, the team believes that the concerns described will be acted upon and resolved and that a focus visit in 1994 will assure that the team's major concern is addressed.