Ten-year Accreditation Approval: Living out our mission statement

Dear Friends of the Seminary,

The seminary received welcome news this past July I am most happy to share with you. We received two letters from the agencies responsible for ensuring that Sacred Heart Major Seminary meets established standards of educational quality. The great news: both agencie—the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Theological Schools of the United States and Canada (ATS)reaffirmed our status as accredited.

Why are the endorsements of these agencies so important? First of all, these stamps of approval testify to our students, prospective students, financial supporters, and sponsoring bishops, as well as to our faculty, employees, and board members, that Sacred Heart's academic and formational programs are of the highest quality. Accreditation also bears official witness that the seminary is managed responsibly, both financially and from the perspective of strategic planning. Accreditation means that our courses and degrees will be recognized by other academic institutions, which is critical to our students who are transferring credits or graduates applying to academic programs at other institutions. The seminary also continues to be authorized to offer financial aid to our students through state and federal programs.

Although Sacred Heart has been accredited by HLC since 1960 and by ATS since 1991, in no way can their endorsements be presumed. Preparatory work in the form of a self-study process began almost three years ago, as far back as November 2011, led by the Office of the Dean of Studies. Many hours of work went into this self-evaluation process, which culminated in the seminary submitting a comprehensive report to each agency in January. In turn, both agencies sent teams of evaluators who visited our campus during the month of March. Along with their July accreditation letters, the agencies sent their own assessment reports, noting our many areas of strength while including recommendations where the seminary could make improvements

Frankly, both reports were overwhelmingly positive. Such evaluations are especially uplifting since the visiting teams were made up of peer—faculty members and administrators from other seminaries. One report noted in particular our commitment to continuous improvement, the quality and devotion of our faculty, the way in which the seminary and the archdiocese embrace and live out the school's mission statement, as seen in the archdiocesan commitments for commuter students and the ongoing commitment of the seminary's distinctive location in the inner-city Detroit community; and the overarching spirit of the community that embodies the seminary's values, especially Christ as center.

On a human level, our first reaction here at the seminary to the letters of accreditation was joyous relief. But on a spiritual level, please join me in expressing humble gratitude to God for this great news, whose fatherly care over Sacred Heart never ceases.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. Msgr. Todd J. Lajiness

Rector/President