In selecting members of committees and subcommittees for the self-study, Sam Houston State has used the guidelines provided by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Handbook for Institutional Self-Study and Guidelines for Steering Committee. In particular, the selection was guided by our effort to achieve balance, breadth, and objectivity as we approached individuals representing faculty, administration, staff, and students.

The President and Vice President for Academic Affairs selected the Director of the Self-Study, who serves concurrently as Chair of the Steering Committee.

In selecting the members of the Steering Committee, the Director consulted with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, as well as the President. The membership of the Steering Committee was then completed through the unanimous recommendations of these four individuals.

Next, the Steering Committee was convened, and after several proposals were considered, it was decided to allow each member to select his/her Executive Chair and forward the nomination to the President. The major criteria for the selection of Executive Chairs were the aforementioned balance, breadth, and objectivity; individuals from all four academic colleges and the Newton Gresham Library were chosen, some who were relatively new to the faculty and others who have been at the University for a long while. Gender and race were also factors in the selection process. Before forwarding to the President the list of Executive Chair nominees, the Committee itself reviewed and approved each selection.

The final step in the committee selection process was the nomination of committee/ subcommittee members. Working from a current list of faculty and staff and a list of prospective students submitted by the Dean of Student Life, the Steering Committee, joined by executive chairs, selected individuals from all areas of the University to serve on the various self-study committees. An effort was made to have a minimum of one student and one staff person on every committee or subcommittee; because some individuals chose not to serve, a few committees do not have at this time a staff member; however, all committees have at least one student and at least one member of the administration.

As appointments were made and accepted, the Steering Committee labored diligently to avoid having someone on an area evaluation committee who might have, or during the previous ten years had, responsibilities and interests of a significant nature in that area.

The ultimate result of this effort is a self-study team which we feel meets all of the criteria we believe to be important in assuring a fair, open, and honest institutional self-evaluation. Thus the appropriate combination of balance, breadth, and objectivity has been accomplished in completing committee appointments.