Eastern is preparing an extensive self-study before a 2005 accreditation, something Faculty Senate will discuss Tuesday.

The university has to be accredited by the North Central Association every 10 years so areas such as academic programs and degrees stay recognized officially.

Eastern is finalizing membership on five work groups to complete the study, said Blair Lord, vice president for academic affairs.

The groups will meet one or more times this semester to begin planning for next year, he said. Graduate school dean Bob Augustine and physical education professor Jill Owen have been named as co-chairs on the Self-Study Committee.

The chairs of the five work groups are sociology professor Reed Benedict; associate speech communication professor Shane Miller; Linda Simpson, associate professor with the School of Family and Consumer Science; business professor Cheryl Noll and Linda Morford, educational administration department chair.

The self-study helps the university identify areas in need of attention, Lord said.

The Faculty Senate will also discuss shared governance in academic technology, including the process for evaluating grant proposals, said senate chair Anne Zahlan. The Faculty Senate meets at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Booth Library. Conference Room 4440.

The Council on Illinois University Senates met at Eastern last month and the senate will talk about the council’s structure.

The senate is in need of “formalizing Eastern’s Faculty Senate as part of the membership” in the council, Zahlan said.

Other university senates are going through the same process, she said.

The Faculty Senate meets at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Booth Library Conference Room 4440.