College Name: Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College  |  Alias: NEO  |  Nickname: Golden Norseman  |  Mascot Name: Odin

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association, 312-263-0456 www.ncahlc.org

History of Accreditation
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) was initially accredited by the North Central Association in 1925.  NEO College remained accredited through 1936 when the College voluntarily withdrew.   In 1949, NEO College was once again accredited by the North Central Association and has had continuous accreditation since that time.  

In 2000, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools restructured.  The Higher Learning Commission became an independent corporation to accredit, and thereby grant membership in the Commission and in the North Central Association, to degree-granting educational institutions in the North Central region: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.  

The College’s last comprehensive evaluation was in 2007, followed by a focus visit on strategic planning in 2010.  The next comprehensive evaluation is scheduled for the academic year 2016-2017.

HLC Criteria
The criteria for accreditation by The Higher Learning Commission are organized under five major headings:

• Mission and Integrity
• Preparing for the Future
• Student Learning and Effective Teaching
• Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge
• Engagement and Service

In 1945, NEO was gaining recognition academically and for its impressive football team.  S.A. ‘Red’ Robertson, famed football coach, felt that it was time for the college to have an official mascot, something NEO had been previously lacking.  Because NEO is located in the northeast Oklahoma, Robertson began researching images originating from the northeastern regions of the world.  It was then that he found the Norsemen of Europe. 

The Norsemen were warriors who roamed the world, fighting ferociously in battle.  Robertson felt this was an excellent mascot to represent the college.  Charles Banks Wilson, renowned artist and founder of NEO’s Art Department, was commissioned to create the Norseman logo that NEO still uses today. 

Decades later, in 1981, Dr. Nick Calcagno, former art instructor, designed and created the nine-foot Norseman statue that graces the entrance to NEO’s campus. 

 

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.	Contact Information for The Higher Learning Commission is: Telephone - (800) 621-7440, or (312) 263-0456 www.ncahlc.org	Contact Information for NEO A&M College is: Telephone - (918) 542-8441 www.neo.edu  http://regents.okstate.edu/