The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). NCA, founded in 1895, is one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. Through its Commissions, the NCA accredits educational institutions in nineteen states: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. HLC is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Rush University, under the direction of our Provost, Dr. Thomas Deutsch, and our self-study coordinator and Vice-Provost, Dr. Lois Halstead, completed a self-study in anticipation of our site visit. This report is still available as a PDF for review by all faculty, students, and other members of the Rush community as a resource. A three-page Executive Summary is also available. Our site visit was held April 28-30, 2008. Report of Self-Study for Rush University, Winter 2008 Executive Summary of the Self-Study Schedule for the Site Visit HLC survey data You can view a PowerPoint presentation of Rush student, faculty and alumni HLC survey data. An executive summary of the PowerPoint presentation is available.   This site was designed to offer access to resources for our Steering Committee and Work Groups, as well as to members of the Rush community and the general public. Click to download the free Windows Media Player if not yet installed. If you don't have PowerPoint installed, download a free viewer here. If you don't have Acrobat Reader installed, download a free viewer here.	Thomas A. Deutsch, M.D. Provost, Rush University Dean, Rush Medical College A message from the Provost April 30, 2008 "The site visit team from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) reporting their findings to the Rush University community. They found us to be in complete compliance with all standards, meeting all of the criteria for accreditation. They were particularly complementary of the openness of our environment with a palpable sense of community, identity, and pride in Rush. They saw this throughout their meetings with both students and faculty members. I want to personally thank all of you who met with the team, arranging your schedules in order to accommodate the fast pace of the site visit. Both in our private and public exit sessions, the team was effusive in their praise for the spirit and determination to achieve excellence of the faculty and students with whom they met. You all clearly exhibited our ICARE values this week. We will need to wait for the HLC to provide us with a full report. We will give them a progress report on our Planning process and our new University Assessment process as these become finalized. When we receive the completed report, we will communicate that to you. Again, thank you for your efforts on behalf of Rush University, and congratulations on this successful visit." You can view this two and a half minute video message from the Provost of Rush University, Thomas A. Deutsch, M.D. that was distributed prior to the site visit about the visit and ourself-study report. You can also watch an earlier 2 minute video message from Dr. Deutsch about the Rush HLC surveys of faculty & students. Members of our site visit team. Mission statements of Rush University/Rush University Medical Center The current University Assessment Plan is available here for your inspection.
This site is available as an archival record of our process and products. We anticipate posting the final report from the HLC when we receive it (likely by November 2008).

Organization Plan
Larry J. Goodman, M.D.	Lois Halstead, Ph.D., R.N.	Lois Halstead, PhD, RN (chair)
Thomas Deutsch, M.D.	Christine Frank, M.L.S.	David Barnett, PhD
Paul Carvey, Ph.D.	MaryPat Mauro	William Karnoscak, MLIS
Melanie Dreher, Ph.D., RN	Marcie B. Hemmelstein (for the Board of Overseers)	Rose Suhayda, PhD, RN
David Shelledy, Ph.D.	Susan Breitenstein (student representative)

	To complete this self-study, seven Work Groups were established. They engaged in looking at almost every aspect of the academic experience at Rush across all colleges. Their work formed the foundation for the self-study document as they gathered and evaluated examples of evidence. A list of members of the seven workgroups		Our timeline can be viewed here. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions. The Coordinating Committee members completed and submitted the self-study document based on submissions from the seven work groups.
	The Higher Learning Commission has several publications of interest. You can download them from this page. We have a list of links to HLC studies at other campuses.		Each work group has a password protected "file drawer" to allow ready sharing of documents. Passwords are available for group members from the coordinating committee.
	If you have questions about this process, please feel free to contact any of the members of the Coordinating Committee (listed above).		If there is a problem with this website, please contact our webmaster at: david_c_barnett@rush.edu
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