We are now in the home stretch of our preparations for our comprehensive reaccreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). For more than three years, many on campus have been working hard to craft a compelling and wide-ranging dossier of materials that shows Drake University at its best. As we near the October site visit by the HLC’s team of peer-reviewers, I am writing to ask for your continued support.

Please save the dates of Monday through noon Tuesday, October 23–24, 2017, as the site visit team will expect to meet with a number of campus community members, including students, faculty, staff, academic and administrative leadership, and trustees.

We will not know with certainty with whom the team will want to meet until early to mid-October. As we receive their requests for meetings, Kevin Saunders will be in touch to request invitees’ attendance. I ask that you make yourself as available to the visiting reviewers as possible, that you refrain from scheduling meetings, events, or other obligations during that period, and that you keep an eye out for requests to attend interviews and meetings with the visiting team.

Please also be aware that the HLC reviewers’ needs for meeting space will be high priorities. So, you may find that on-campus venues commonly available for general use will be held in reserve during the dates of the site visit.

As we get closer to the visit, you will receive updates and invitations to learn more about our reaccreditation efforts. I trust you will find the case we present to the HLC enlightening and uplifting. In the meantime, thanks for the hard work and care from those already involved in preparations for the review and, in advance, for your flexibility and willingness to take part in the visit, should you be asked to do so.

— Marty Martin, President