* View the QEP *

Letter from President Whitlock, 12 December 2007

Dear Colleagues:

Your hard work paid big dividends this week when EKU’s accreditation was reaffirmed by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

This reaffirmation, for a 10-year period, demonstrates that EKU meets the high standards for quality set by the agency that accredits colleges and universities in the southeastern U.S. The reaffirmation confirms the high regard in which our academic and support programs are viewed, as well as the outstanding faculty and staff who develop and deliver those programs.

We can all be very proud of the fact that EKU was recognized by SACS for “exemplary service” in preparation for its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) and that University officials were invited to give a presentation on the Plan at the annual SACS conference earlier this week in New Orleans. As you know, the QEP calls for the University to develop “informed, critical and creative thinkers who communicate effectively,” and many of you are actively involved in a number of exciting and innovative programs that will implement and integrate the Plan in the coming years.

As important as reaffirmation is, the SACS review process is really about the betterment of the University. We are a stronger institution today because our self-study helped us to better understand our strengths and identify areas for further improvement.

EKU is accredited by SACS to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s and specialist in education degrees and now, for the first time, doctoral degrees. Pending approval by Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education, Eastern will launch a doctoral degree program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies beginning in Fall 2008.

Thank you to the SACS leadership team and to all of you who assisted in any way with this successful reaffirmation effort.

Sincerely,

Doug Whitlock
President