News Archives - 2004

Augsburg College is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the College accreditation by North Central Association this week. A celebration will be held during community time after chapel on Friday, March 26.

During World War I, Augsburg Seminary started working toward recognition as a preparatory program for students who wanted to do further study at the University of Minnesota rather than enter the ministry. Augsburg's early instruction was limited to languages, history, philosophy, and theology, but grew throughout the next several decades into a full-fledged four-year curriculum.

This happened under the leadership of President George Sverdrup and his successor Dr. Bernhard Christensen. Despite very limited resources and several failed attempts, important improvements were made in the competence and conditions of employment of the faculty, the physical plant, and the library--thanks to a united effort on the part of both faculty and administration. Fifty years later we are accredited not only as a Bachelor's institution, but as a Master's "level 2", with five graduate programs--and growing.

Meanwhile in 1999 the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools launched the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). Augsburg applied for and was accepted into the program in 2001. AQIP, an alternative to the traditional process for maintaining accredited status, is based on the principles of continuous improvement that emphasize systems analysis and processes. The College is currently developing a Systems Portfolio, which replaces the traditional self-study. It is due Spring 2005.

The AQIP steering committee is overseeing the development of the Systems Portfolio. Members leading work teams are: Barbara Edwards Farley, chair, Nora Braun, Lee Clarke, Jim Erchul, Ann Garvey, Chris Kimball, Tom Morgan, Julie Olson, Jay Phinney, John Schmit, and Frankie Shackelford.