Calendar

July 1, 1993

Southwest Christian High School | Carver County Minnesota

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— Forest Hills Public Schools (@ForestHillsPS) June 5, 2025

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17.April.Monday
Accreditation 100
11:00 -12:00
2023.04.17
Today we examine standards-setting activity of non-profit trade associations that set academic standards; with specific interest in how these organizations reference other organizations that set standards for the built environment.
The criteria for an organization to be recognized as a “college” or “university” is dependent on the jurisdiction. There are common characteristics and criteria that many institutions must meet to be officially designated as a college. Keep in mind that these criteria can differ between countries and regions. Here are some general considerations:
Legal Recognition: The institution must be legally recognized by the relevant educational authorities in its jurisdiction. This recognition often involves meeting specific standards related to academic programs, faculty qualifications, facilities, and governance.
- Accreditation: Many countries have accreditation processes that evaluate the quality of education provided by institutions. Accreditation is often granted by independent accrediting bodies that assess factors such as curriculum, faculty credentials, facilities, and student outcomes.
- Degree-Granting Authority: Colleges are typically authorized to confer academic degrees, such as associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, or higher. The authority to award degrees may be granted by government education agencies or other relevant authorities.
- Faculty Qualifications: Colleges are expected to have qualified faculty members with appropriate academic credentials and expertise in the subjects they teach. Faculty qualifications often include advanced degrees in their respective fields.
- Facilities and Resources: Colleges should have adequate facilities and resources to support the delivery of quality education. This includes classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and other infrastructure necessary for academic activities.
- Adherence to Educational Standards: Colleges are expected to adhere to established educational standards and guidelines. These standards may cover curriculum development, assessment methods, student support services, and other aspects of academic operations.
- Governance and Administration: The institution should have a transparent and effective governance structure and administrative processes. This ensures accountability and the ability to manage the institution in accordance with educational regulations and standards.
- Mission and Purpose: Colleges typically have a clearly defined mission and purpose related to higher education. This may involve a commitment to academic excellence, research, community engagement, or other educational goals.
It’s important to note that the specific requirements and criteria can vary widely depending on the country and its educational system. In some regions, the term “college” may be used differently, and there may be variations in the types of degrees or programs offered by institutions with this designation. As such, it’s advisable to refer to the specific regulations and guidelines established by the educational authorities in a given jurisdiction.

https://standardsmichigan.com/accreditation/

The academic calendar of Anglosphere educational settlements subtly shapes life of the mind, generally; and family life, specifically. Its rhythm is rooted in the cathedral schools and monastic learning communities of medieval Europe between the 1100s and 1400s. Universities were not originally organized around modern “semesters.” Instead, the year followed the Christian liturgical calendar, agricultural seasons, daylight availability, and travel conditions.

The classic English university calendar evolved into three major terms: Michaelmas in autumn, associated with arrival and beginnings; Hilary or Lent in winter, associated with discipline and study; and Trinity or Easter in spring, associated with examinations, outdoor rituals, music, rowing, gardens, and celebration.

Modern commencement traditions across the Anglosphere are descendants of medieval spring degree ceremonies. Academic gowns, hoods, processions, Latin phrases, formal dining, chapel music, and public recognition all preserve traces of the university as a scholarly guild and religious-civic community.

Before railways, electric lighting, and central heating, universities had to adapt to muddy roads, short winter days, limited candles, cold buildings, and agricultural obligations. Spring therefore became the natural season of culmination, reunion, athletic competition, courtship, and ceremony.

The medieval university was not merely a school but an educational settlement — a self-governing town of scholars, libraries, chapels, kitchens, workshops, residences, and dining halls. That settlement pattern survives in residential colleges, quadrangles, tutorial systems, common rooms, chapel choirs, and formal meals.

Anglosphere campuses retain this ancient emotional rhythm: autumn seriousness, winter inwardness, and spring release. That continuity helps explain why colleges and universities still feel culturally distinct from ordinary commercial society. (Relata: Gulliver Visits the Great Academy of Lagado)