2020-2021 Academic Catalog (August 2020 - July 2021)

Accreditation

Concord University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL  60604-1413, 1-800-621-7440, www.hlcommission.org.

Programmatic accreditations are held with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, and the Council on Social Work Education. The Teacher Education Program is also approved by the West Virginia Department of Education.

Statement of Purpose

PURPOSE
Concord exists to improve the quality of life of the people and communities we serve.

VISION
Concord, the university that transforms and enriches lives throughout Central Appalachia and beyond.

Concord University will expand its capacity to provide transformative educational experiences that empower students and alumni to enrich their lives and communities. Concord will increase its impact on the region and the world through the leadership and service of our informed and civic-minded students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

MISSION
The mission of Concord University is to improve the lives of our students and communities, through innovative teaching and learning, intellectual and creative activities, and community service and civic engagement.

Concord University provides accessible, affordable, high-quality, and student-centered teaching and learning opportunities strengthened by integrated support services and co-curricular programs.  

Concord's rigorous, market-driven programming provides current professional knowledge and essential communication, numerical, and critical thinking and reasoning skills, necessary for life-long success in a dynamic and culturally diverse world. 

Concord's mission immerses people in intellectual inquiry to expand knowledge, encourages and supports creative activities and the arts, and contributes to community engagement and economic development to enhance the quality of life in the region and beyond. 

Concord's mission will achieve our vision to transform lives, enrich our communities, and prepare leaders for service regionally, nationally and internationally. 

Strategic Planning Steering Committee: October 8, 2019
Concord University Board of Governors: March 17, 2020
https://www.concord.edu/About/History-Future/Strategic-Plan.aspx

From our humble beginnings in 1872 as a state normal school for teacher preparation, Concord University (CU) has grown and developed into a regional university transforming and enriching lives throughout Central Appalachia and beyond. This institutional and regional development has been accomplished through continuing excellence in teaching and learning, intellectual and creative activities, community service, and civic engagement by our faculty, staff, students, and alumni over nearly 150 years.

After the University developed its strategic plan, Journey to Distinction 2020, the external operating environment for higher education became significantly more disruptive and competitive. These changes have brought forth new challenges and opportunities, which will be addressed through this update of our new strategic plan, The Way Forward 2023.

This plan was developed under two overarching and interdependent themes, which stated simply are: "Revitalize the University" and "Sustain the University". Under these broad themes more than a dozen strategic issues and opportunities were considered. The immediate, existential priorities led CU to select the following as the top strategic goals to be achieved by 2023:

1. Revitalize Enrollment – to stabilize and increase enrollment and reverse declining enrollment trends
2. Enhance the Student Experience – to enhance the distinctly positive Concord Experience for students
3. Foster University Renewal – to accelerate CU's progress from a surviving to a thriving institution
4. Enhance Self-sufficiency – to continuously improve financial self-sufficiency and decrease reliance on state allocations

Assessment

Concord University's assessment system is closely tied to the University's mission and educational goals.  Assessment at Concord has two important roles: institutional quality and accountability. To analyze and improve the quality of Concord's educational programs, the University uses various measures to assess student learning. These assessment measures are used in the continuous evaluation of curricular and instructional decisions to improve programs and assess student learning.  An integral part of the program is the assessment of student learning in the major and the general education program. However, Concord strives to involve all educational support areas in the assessment process. All programs assess the learning environment and what changes might be made to maximize the learning experience. Assessment of student learning is ultimately the systematic collection, analysis, and use of information to improve student learning.

Amending Information

While every effort is made to assure accuracy at the time of printing, Concord University reserves the right to delete, change, or amend the information in this Catalog as necessary. It is the student's responsibility to know and comply with current University policies. Licensure and accreditation regulations may require additional non-published admission requirements in some certificate programs, Candidates in these programs should check current admission requirements with the Department office administering these programs.