UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The regular process for reaffirming the University’s accreditation is officially underway. The process will include short- and long-term volunteer opportunities for direct participation by members of the University community. Accreditation is key to any university’s operation, affirming that an institution has gone through a rigorous evaluation process and operates at the highest standards of quality and educational commitment.
Every eight years, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) requires its more than 130 member institutions, including Penn State, to complete a comprehensive self-evaluation of educational quality and success in meeting its institutional mission and demonstrating positive student outcomes. Known as a ‘self-study,’ it is the culmination of the MSCHE accreditation review cycle for its member institutions.
“Accreditation through Middle States assures our students, their families and the public of the educational quality and value of a Penn State degree,” said Penn State President Eric J. Barron. “This self-study is an opportunity for Penn Staters across the commonwealth to directly engage in a comprehensive process of institutional self-reflection. We have a great deal of important work ahead of us, and I urge everyone to support and contribute to the success of this critical initiative.”
Volunteer opportunities include reviewing self-study documents, providing feedback and preparing for on-site visits by MSCHE representatives. Interested members of the university community can sign up here. Penn Staters also can follow Penn State’s self-study website for more information and updates as the process continues. The self-study runs through 2024.
Organization
The effort will be led by the self-study steering committee, composed of seven working groups, and co-chaired by Lance Kennedy-Phillips -- vice provost for Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research (OPAIR) and the University’s accreditation liaison officer, along with David Callejo Pérez, associate vice president and senior associate dean for academic programs with the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses.
Each working group is led by a tri-chair structure of faculty and staff leaders from across the University. Leaders include representatives from faculty, staff, student and alumni groups, including Laura Pauley, professor of mechanical engineering and interim executive director of Penn State Faculty Senate, and Barry Bram, senior director of the University’s student engagement programs. Penn State’s senior leadership and representatives from the board also will actively participate throughout the self-study process. A full listing of the chairs of each steering committee working group is available on the university’s self-study website.
Get involved!
Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones said contributions from community members University-wide will be a critical part of the reaccreditation process.
“Reaffirmation of accreditation is contingent upon the success of the self-study. To effectively accomplish this, the process must include meaningful participation by representatives from across the University community, including faculty, staff, students and alumni,” Jones said. “This is a chance for all at Penn State to engage in a period of self-assessment, growth and continued improvement. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Self-study overview and timeline
To maintain accreditation, each MSCHE member institution, including Penn State, must provide evidence of compliance with the commission’s standards through the submission of a self-study report.
The institutional accreditation also is a required condition of the University’s participation in the Department of Education’s Title IV federal financial aid program and numerous other substantial grant funding opportunities.
The self-study steering committee and its seven working groups, one for each of the MSCHE standards, will draft chapters of the self-study report documenting evidence of compliance as well as analyses and appraisal of institutional policies, processes and procedures. The working groups also will identify opportunities for improvement and innovation. The final self-study report will be submitted to MSCHE in December 2023. Following that, in accordance with MSCHE’s standard accreditation review cycle for all member institutions, a team of peer evaluators will conduct an on-site visit and make recommendations to MSCHE regarding whether the University has substantially met the requirements and standards for accreditation.
Upcoming events and more information
On Friday, April 15, the University’s MSCHE staff liaison will conduct an on-site visit at the University Park campus to meet with Barron, Jones, members of the Board of Trustees and the steering committee to discuss the commission’s expectations for reaffirmation of accreditation. The steering committee also will host an informational open forum with the liaison. The event will be open to members of the University community who wish to learn more about the reaccreditation process and how they can engage. More details will be provided as the date approaches.
The Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research will support the entire self-study process and is available to answer questions about this critical institutional initiative. Community members who have questions can contact OPAIR at 814-863-8721 or selfstudy@psu.edu.
For updates and more information on Penn State’s MSCHE reaffirmation of accreditation and self-study, be sure to visit and bookmark the self-study website.
About MSCHE
Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education. Its accreditation process is among the most highly regarded third-party assessments for higher education institutions. MSCHE accredits institutions in 47 states and more than 90 countries.
Penn State is a charter member of MSCHE and has been accredited by the agency since 1921, with accreditation last reaffirmed in June 2015.