Union’s Sharp Academic Center is home to the college’s education programs, which won full reaccreditation from the state in early August.

Union Education Programs Win Full Accreditation

Union College has learned that its undergraduate and graduate programs in education have been fully reaccredited by the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB).

The reaccreditation status applies to all education-related programs offered by Union.

In an announcement to faculty and staff following the reaccreditation decision, Union President Ed de Rosset called the news “a very important moment, both in terms of the school’s history and in terms of what we can set out to do—in education, and in other academic areas.”

Though a periodic reaccreditation review process is standard fare for higher education institutions, Union’s bid for renewal of accreditation was extended beyond the usual time frame due to a confluence of events: a change in the presidency at a crucial point in the process, which resulted in a loss of momentum toward reaccreditation; changing leadership in the college’s Department of Educational Studies; and a simultaneous bid to earn accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

As a result, Union administrators navigated a more complex path than usual to earn reaccreditation. The college’s process took seven years to complete, but has ended in a positive response from EPSB.

“Feedback from members of EPSB has been positive, helpful, and, most recently, marked by frequent praise for the dedication and hard work of the faculty and staff in the Department of Educational Studies,” said President de Rosset. “They were impressed with the amount of work accomplished, especially over the past three years, and with the quality of the processes and changes we have put into place to continually enhance our education programs.”

President de Rosset believes the successful outcome is due in large part to the college’s collaboration with the P-12 community.

“Our relationship with local and regional educators and educational leaders is strong,” said President de Rosset. “Before and during the reaccreditation process, they have been part of informing our curriculum and assessment practices, and are a key partner in preparing our students to be well-rounded, accomplished educators.”

The majority of undergraduate students at Union major in education, according to college officials. Union also offers master’s degrees in education through the Department of Graduate Education, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Between 1999 and 2008, student enrollment in Union’s graduate program increased by over 140 percent.

“Our growth will continue,” said President de Rosset. “Full reaccreditation gives us the opportunity to add more programs, and we look forward to doing so. The education faculty and I are eager to work with area educators to discuss how we might shape and expand our programs according to the needs of the region.”

August 16, 2010

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