The launch of the new Middle States Accreditation website on Monday, August 19, 2013, marks the official public start of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's 2015 Accreditation and Self-Study with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Â鶹ÊÓƵ has earned consecutive MSCHE accreditation since its first review in 1941, with its most recent review taking place in 2005–2006.
Planning and preparation for Â鶹ÊÓƵ's upcoming 2015 decennial reaffirmation of accreditation began last March with the appointment of the co-chairs of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ MSCHE Self-Study Steering Committee, Laura Delbrugge and Hilliary Creely. A Self-Study Steering Committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, and administrators has been established, holding its first meeting in May. Throughout the upcoming fall semester, subcommittees will form to engage with the 14 MSCHE Standards of Excellence and determine how they are interpreted at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. This process will result in an extensive self-study, culminating in a public review in fall of 2015. The creation of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's reflective self-study will be followed by a site visit from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 2016.
The new Â鶹ÊÓƵ MSCHE Accreditation and Self Study website provides information to the Â鶹ÊÓƵ community about the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and its 14 Standards of Excellence, all of which the entire Â鶹ÊÓƵ community will address as part of a meaningful and participatory process of institutional reflection. The website also serves as an information portal for committee members and those interested in participating in the Middle States reaccreditation process.
In the coming weeks, announcements about opportunities to contribute to the 2015 Â鶹ÊÓƵ Self-Study and Accreditation process will appear in the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Daily, on the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Accreditation website, and by e-mail. Please watch for these calls for participation, as the involvement of the entire Â鶹ÊÓƵ community is vital for the successful reaffirmation of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.