View the PDF version of the NWCCU Reaffirmation Letter

January 24, 2018

Dr. Waded Cruzado
President
Montana State University - Bozeman
P.O. Box 172560
Bozeman, MT 59717

Dear President Cruzado:

This letter serves as formal notification and official record of action taken concerning the Fall 2017
Year Seven Evaluation of Montana State University - Bozeman by the Northwest Commission on
Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) at its meeting on January 10-12, 2018. This action was taken
after consideration of evidence, including the Institutional Self-Evaluation Report, the Peer
Evaluation Report, the optional Institutional Response to the Peer Evaluation Report, and
information received as part of the institutional representative meeting with Commissioners.

Based on these materials and deliberations, the Commissioners took the following actions.

Accreditation

• Reaffirm Accreditation

Rescind Evaluation Committee Recommendation 2

2. The evaluation committee recommends that Montana State University takes additional steps to reduce
the amount of deferred maintenance, to prevent further growth of deferred maintenance, and to relieve
capacity issues relative to classrooms and the library. (Standard 2.G.1)

Recommendations: Fall 2017 Year Seven Evaluation Substantially in Compliance but in Need of
Improvement

The Commission recommends that the institution:

1. Identify assessable and verifiable indicators of achievement that are more meaningful for evaluating
accomplishment of the objectives of its core themes (Standard 1.B.2).

2. Inform core theme planning via the consistent collection of appropriately defined data that are analyzed
and used to evaluate the accomplishment of the core theme objectives (Standard 3.B.3).

3. Document, through a more effective, regular, and comprehensive system of assessment of student
achievement, that students who complete any of its educational courses, programs, and degrees,
wherever offered and however delivered, achieve identified course, program, and degree learning
outcomes (Standard 4.A.3).

4. Consistently use assessment results to make determinations of quality, effectiveness and mission
fulfillment and communicate its conclusions to appropriate constituencies and the public
(Standard 5.A.2).

Required Follow-Up

• Submit an Addendum to the Spring 2019 Mission and Core Themes Report to address
Recommendation 1 of the Fall 2017 Year Seven Peer Evaluation Report.

• Submit an Addendum to the Fall 2020 Mid-Cycle Report to address revised Recommendations 2, 3,
and 4 of the Fall 2017 Year Seven Peer Evaluation Report.

Commendations: Fall 2017 Year Seven Evaluation
The Commission commends Montana State University - Bozeman in particular for the following:

1. Montana State University is commended for the 2011-2012 strategic planning process, the resulting
strategic plan, and subsequent communication efforts that have yielded a remarkable level of
support across campus at all levels and a consistent focus on strategic plan implementation.

2. Montana State University is commended for its system of shared governance, integrating
conventional elected governance groups with a series of councils, which has fostered
communication, broad understanding of decision-making processes, and nearly universal agreement
that faculty, staff, students, and administrators have input into decisions that affect them.

3. Montana State University is commended for its concerted efforts to increase retention and
graduation rates.

4. Montana State University’s Renne Library is commended for their leadership in the creation of the
Treasure State Academic Information and Library Services (TRAILS) consortium, a comprehensive
state- wide academic library consortium.

5. Montana State University is commended for the productive partnerships between the preparatory
education, housed at Gallatin College MSU, and baccalaureate programs, which foster access to the
university consistent with its Land Grant mission.

Future Evaluations

• Mission and Core Themes Report in Spring 2019

• Mid-Cycle Evaluation in Fall 2020

• Year Seven Evaluation in Fall 2024

NWCCU is committed to an accreditation process that adds value to institutions while
contributing to public accountability, and we thank you for your continued support of this
process. If you have questions about any of the information in this letter, please contact NWCCU.

Sincerely,

Marlene Moore
President

MM/rb

cc: Dr. Tamela Eitle, Interim Associate Provost
Ms. Fran Albrecht, Chair, Montana Board of Regents
Dr. Susan Henrichs, Chair, Evaluation Committee