There has been a lot of celebrating at Baker University this semester.

From the $3.5 million donation toward the Mulvane Project and the groundbreaking of that building, to the continued success of Baker athletics, things have certainly come full circle for Baker this year.

University President Pat Long was able to add one more item to her list of good things she has done for Baker this semester Wednesday with the announcement that Baker had been given “continuing accreditation for a period of 10 more years.”

This is certainly something to celebrate.

For 10 more years, degrees students earn at Baker will mean something.

Students will continue to receive financial aid for 10 more years.

Baker will continue to maintain the standard of excellence it has been known for the past 103 years.

During the accreditation process, those in the Baker community who worked on the self-study were candid and open about the strengths and the weaknesses the university has faced in the past few years, especially during the budget crisis a few years ago.

To those that worked for hours on the self-study, you deserve recognition.

It’s not easy to be open and candid about the good things, as well as the bad things, that are lived each and every day on this campus, as well as at the School of Professional and Graduate Studies and the School of Nursing.

But, by your honesty and willingness to share about the strengths and weaknesses the university has gone through, and is currently going through, we were able to get the best news possible.

Ten more years.

For at least 10 more years, Baker will continue to do what it has done since 1858.

It will continue to serve the students as best it can.

University President Pat Long and her administration deserve to celebrate.

Rob Flaherty, special assistant to the president for planning and accreditation, and Simon Maxwell, vice president of technology, who chaired the accreditation team, deserve to celebrate.

Those who served as criterion chairs and those on the committees deserve to celebrate.

The students who live Baker life day in and day out deserve to celebrate.

This report has been a long time coming. It’s time we brag on Baker.

It’s finally time we celebrate.