Campus
NEWS
Papazian Installed as 11th President
M
ary A. Papazian, Ph.D., outlined her vision for Southern during her inauguration on Sept. 28,
underscoring the importance of preparing students for a knowledge-based society and ensuring that the university is a significant player in higher education in the state and region. “We must make it clear to the public, to the busi-
Southern Granted Reaccreditation Like many U.S. colleges and universities,
Southern undergoes a voluntary review by a regional accrediting agency approximately every ten years.
ness community, and to the political establishment that
Following a comprehensive evaluation in fall 2011,
investing in an institution like Southern is not only an
the university was reaccredited by the New England
investment in the students who attend the university, but
Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
also by extension, it is an investment in the whole com-
through its Commission on Institutions of Higher
munity and — and this isn’t overstating it — in the very
Education.
future of America,” said Papazian at the event, which was
Colleges and universities that have received
held at the university’s John Lyman Center for the
NEASC accreditation have been found to meet stan-
Performing Arts.
dards in 11 key areas, including their academic pro-
Papazian is the 11th president in Southern’s storied 119-year history. She is the second woman to hold the position, following Cheryl J. Norton, who led the uni-
gram, faculty, physical and technological resources, and financial resources. Additional information on the reaccredita-
versity from 2004 to 2010. Papazian also is believed to be
tion process, including Southern’s self-study report,
the first Armenian-American women to lead a U.S. univer-
an overview of NEASC standards, and a letter from
sity, according to the Armenian Weekly. More information
NEASC announcing Southern’s reaccreditation, can
on Papazian, including an interview detailing her back-
be found at SouthernCT.edu/neasc.
ground and goals for the university, is on page 10 and at SouthernCT.edu/inauguration2012/. 2 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
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