Evening star., 1954-10-16

creditation.
The Middle States Association
of Colleges, a voluntary regional
accrediting organizatio ii o n, in
which the University of Mary
land holds membership, sent an
evaluating committee to the
University, November IS to 10,
1858. Subsequently. this team
of approximately so educators
submitted a report to the Com
mission on Institutions of Higher
Education of the association, a
report of 1853 pages. with state
ments, observations and recon-
mendations.
This report was considered by
the commission and, on May 5,
1854, the commission directed a
letter to the acting president of
the university. They stated that
in the report submitted to them
there were indications of COM
mendable points and also refer
ences to several major areas
where weaknesses existed in the
University of Maryland. The
commission voted to defer a
decision concerning reaffirma-
ton of accreditation until the
semi-annual meeting to be held
in April, 1856.
Fully Accredited
In doing this, they recognized
the fact that the University was
fully accredited and would re-
main on the accredited list, but
certain improvements were nec-
essary.
The commission was concerned
about the following areas of the
university: Cd The highly CEN
tralized nature of the admins
tration; co the lack of proper
status of the faculty and of the
deans in the organization and
operation of the institution, and
particularly the lack of faculty
participation in the formulation
of educational policies; go
library; a. status of the School
of Medicine; and 90 intercol-
legiate athletics.
The commission further stated
they were sure that it lies within
the power of the institution to
remedy the deficiencies.
Since the report has been re-
ceived, there has been much
agitation for the university to
release the full and highly con-
troversial report that was made
to the commission by the eval-
uating group. The Board OF
Regents has refused to release
this report for the reasons that
it is confidential. much of it is
now out of date, as number OF
changes and improvements rec
commended by the committee
have been put into effect; the re.
port is of such length and com.
plexity that any part Of it taker
out of context might give 6
wrong impression and possibly
be injurious to the university
and that the report was made tt
the commission for its use ir
reaching a final decision.
Decision Reaffirmed.
The Board of Regents reaf.
firms its previous decision not tt
release the report of the com.
mittee to the public.
In the areas mentioned by th'
commission, university Officials
have taken steps and are in th'
process of removing def1ciencie'
or correcting alleged weaknesses
For instance, action has beer
taken which will enable thu
faculty to participate in tn
formulation of educational poll
cies, the university is makinl
every effort to secure an ade
quate library and necessary ad
justments will be made in tn
field of intercollegiate athletics
Some special mention shoult
be made of the School Of Medi
cine since it has been given con
siderable publicity, much o
which has been misleading. Th
following information is peril
nent::
At the invitation of the Uni
versity of Maryland School o
Medicine, the Liaison Committee
representing the Committee OF
Medical Education and Hospital
/ of the American Medical Associ
alton, and the Executive Commit
tee of the American Association
of Medical Colleges, examine
the School Of Medicine. Thi
evaluation was done as a routin
/ procedure in coordination wit
| the general survey of the Middl
] STATES Association. Suggestion