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    • Middle States Self-Study

    Middle States Commission on Higher Education Accreditation

    The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), through accreditation, mandates that its member institutions meet rigorous and comprehensive standards, which are addressed in the context of the mission of each institution and within the culture of ethical practices and institutional integrity expected of accredited institutions. In meeting the quality standards of MSCHE accreditation, institutions earn accredited status, and this permits them to state with confidence, “Our students are well-served; society is well-served.”

    Why does Accreditation Matter?

    • Accredited institutions have access to federal grant money for faculty and financial aid for students.
    • Credits are more easily transferred to four-year schools.
    • Teaching and research efforts of the faculty are legitimized.
    • The process invites the College to consider: How are we doing?

    How does MSCHE accreditation work?

    The Commission is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations, and resources. It examines each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within institutions.

    Specific programs often have an additional program focused accreditation. These include:

    1. RN – BS Degree Completion Program
    2. Nursing AAS
    3. Practical Nurse Certificate Program
    4. Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS
    • MSCHE Process

      Overview of the Self-Study Process

      As part of the Self-Study process, the college prepares an extensive written Self-Study Report. This report and the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation serve as the basis for an on-site evaluation by a team of peer evaluators. During Self-Study, the institution carefully considers its educational programs, policies and services, with particular attention to student learning and achievement, and it determines how well these programs and services accomplish the institution’s goals, fulfill its mission, and meet the Commission’s Standards. Under the leadership of a Steering Committee appointed by the institution, working groups or subcommittees examine existing data and evaluations, gather new information, and prepare analytical reports on their assigned topics. The Steering Committee edits the reports of the various working groups, produces a draft for discussion, and disseminates the final Self-study Report. A broad cross-section of the campus community is expected to participate in each component of the Self-Study process as part of the Steering Committee, the working groups, and campus-wide discussions. The Self-Study Report has two sets of audiences and two major purposes. The primary audience is the institution’s own community and the secondary audience includes external or public constituencies. The primary purpose of the Self-Study Report is to advance institutional self-understanding and self-improvement. The Self-Study Report, therefore, is most useful when it is analytical and forward-looking rather than descriptive or defensive, when it is used both to identify problems and to develop solutions to them, and when it identifies opportunities for growth and development

      In the past, the Self-Study process and related site visit occurred on a ten year cycle, however MSCHE is now transitioning to an eight-year accreditation cycle.

      The Peer Review Process

      After appropriate institutional constituents have reviewed a draft of the Self-Study and revisions have been made, the institution submits a final Self-Study Report, including all required materials, to the Commission and Team Members for their review. The Commission will also share the institution’s peer-reviewed Compliance Report with the Team Chair. After the evaluation visit is completed, the Team Chair submits a Team Report to both the institution and the Commission. After reviewing the Team Report, the institution submits an Institutional Response. The Team Chair also submits a Confidential Brief to the Commission. The Confidential Brief contains a summary of findings, as well as a proposal for Commission action.

      Commission Process

      The Committee on Evaluation Reports meets and discusses the Self-Study, Team Report, Confidential Brief and Institutional Response with the Team Chair. After consideration of all materials, the Committee makes a proposal for Commission action. If the Committee’s proposal differs substantially from the proposal found in the Team Chair’s Confidential Brief, the institution will be contacted and invited to submit additional materials prior to the next Commission meeting. At that meeting, the Commission determines a final action and the institution is notified. For more information, please review Commission Procedures, Advance Notice of Noncompliance Recommendations.

    • Maria College's Middle States Accreditation Process

      Maria’s Approach to Preparing the Self-Study: 

      Maria began preparation for the Self-Study in the fall of 2016, when the College was represented by a Chair of one of three academic departments at the college who attended the Self-Study Institute in Philadelphia, PA.  Upon returning from the Institute, an over arching Self- Study Steering Committee as well as Working Groups for each of the seven (7) MSCHE standards were established.

      The members of the Steering Committee agreed that the four strategic priority areas set forth last summer would serve as the basis of the self-study:  (1) Mission, People and Culture; (2) Student Success; (3) Academic Programs; (4) Data Reporting and Forecasting.  The Steering Committee represents a broad range of departments across the campus: faculty representation from across three departments, administrators, and six staff members, the two Co-Chairs of the Middle States Self-Study,  the Assistant Dean of Student Life, Director of Financial Aid, the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research, Associate Vice President for Student Success, Financial Report and Analyst Specialist, Assistant Professor and Director of Weekend Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Nursing Instructor, and Chair of Liberal Arts and Management.  Working group leaders were assigned a particular Standard for Accreditation upon which to focus; a number of the leaders of working groups were assigned to serve as members of the Steering Committee.  

      The working groups met periodically through the 2017-18 self-study year, reviewing data and reports and gathering evidence that Maria College met the Middle States standards and requirements of compliance. These groups prepared draft chapters of the self-study, which were reviewed by the Steering Committee. Feedback was incorporated into subsequent analysis and drafts.

      From May to July 2018, the Co-Chairs reviewed the chapter drafts and incorporated them into a single and comprehensive Self-Study Document.

      At the July 2018 Maria Board of Trustees Retreat, the President updated the Board about the Middles States self study process, as well as offered trustees an opportunity to review and provide input into the document. In early August 2018, trustees were sent a link to the Self Study, as well as an e-mail address where they could send their questions, comments, or suggestions. In early September 2018,  President Gamble reminded trustees to provide feedback for review and incorporation into the next draft.

      In mid-September 2018, the Steering Committee met and received updates on the status of the Self Study, document road map and compliance report. A discussion board was created on Maria Sharepoint site for Self-Study review and feedback.

      In early October 2018, the Maria Community was invited to review the Self-Study and provide comments and feedback.

    • Timeline

      2016

      • Fall 2016: Attend Self-Study Institute
      • Establish over arching Self Study Steering Committee, as well as working groups for each of the seven (7) MSCHE standards were established.

      PHASE I: 

      2017 

      • January – March: Prepare Self-Study Design; Submit draft to MSCHE liaison 
      • March 21: Skype Visit with MSCHE VP liaison Dr. Debra G. Klinman; await comments
      • April – June: Prepare revisions to Self-Study design; Design approved 

      PHASE II: 

      • August Working Groups are charged by Steering Committee; begin work with group members 
      • September – November: Working groups assemble data, documents 
      • December: Update by Co-Chairs 

      2018 

      • January: Drafts due from Working Groups; feedback given 
      • January – April: Team Chair selected and confirmed 
      • April: Second drafts due from Working Groups;  
      • May – June: Co-Chairs draft and complete Self-Study Document based on drafts by Working Groups 
      • August – September: Review by Board of Trustees of Self-Study; seek comments and feedback; revisions 
      • August – September: Review by Steering Committee and Work Groups of Self-Study; seek comments and feedback; revisions 
      • September – October: Review by community of Self-Study; seek comments and feedback; revisions 
      • October: Updated draft circulated 

      PHASE III:

      • October : Self-study draft forwarded to Teach Chair in advance of prelim visit 
      • November: Preliminary Visit by Team Chair 
      • December: Verification of Compliance report due 
      • November – January: Revise Self-Study based on Team Chair feedback 

      2019

      • February: FINAL VERSION of Self-study finalized; distributed to Middle States Visiting Team 
      • April 7 – 9: Visiting Team on campus 
      • June: Commission meets to determine accreditation action
    • Members

      Steering Committee Members:
      Co-Chairs:
      Anne S. Jung, PhD Dean of the College, Chief Academic Officer, Associate Professor, Co-Chair MSCHE Self-Study
      Kari A. Bennett, Registrar and Director of Institutional Research, Co-Chair MSCHE Self-Study

      Members:
      Victoria L. Battell, RSM, Senior Vice President for Mission and Institutional Advancement, Chief Mission Officer, & Dean of Students
      Andrew Ledoux, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Associate Dean of Students, Title IX Coordinator
      Donna Myers, Director of Financial Aid
      Karyn Shenker-Gould, MA, OTR/L, Weekend OTA Program Director, Associate Professor for OTA program
      Russell Blair, DNP, Associate Chair of Nursing for Administration, Assistant Professor for Nursing AAS program
      Deborah Lee, Financial Report and Budget Analyst

      Work Groups:

      Working Group A: Standard I and II
      Leaders:
      Victoria L. Battell, RSM, Senior Vice President for Mission and Institutional Advancement, Chief Mission Officer, & Dean of Students
      Victoria Callaghan, EdD, Associate Chair of Nursing for Curriculum Director, AAS Nursing Program

      Members:
      Barbara Ruslander, Assistant Professor, Liberal Arts & Management program
      Scott Homer ’95, MS, OTR/L, Director of Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, Assistant Professor, OTA program
      Helen Adams-Keane, Director of Development
      Galen Gomes, PhD, HEOP Director

      Working Group B: Standard III
      Leaders:
      Karyn Shenker-Gould, MA, OTR/L, Weekend OTA Program Director, Associate Professor for OTA program
      Russell Blair, DNP, Associate Chair of Nursing for Administration, Assistant Professor for Nursing AAS program

      Members:
      Jessica Napoli, FNP-BC, Clinical Placement Director and Assistant Professor, Nursing
      Marissa Gitto, Library Director
      Melissa Boles, Assistant Professor, Liberal Arts & Management program
      Meghan DeNitto ’00, BS, COTA/L, CH, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and Instructor, OTA program
      Lisa Deserre ’79, BS, COTA/L, Assistant Professor, OTA

      Working Group C: Standard IV
      Leader:
      Donna Myers, Director of Financial Aid

      Members:
      Jon Coller-Takahashi, Director of Student Support and Opportunity Programs
      Ellen Argust, MS, RN, CNOR, Director of RN-BS Degree in Nursing Completion Program, Assistant Professor
      John Ramoska, Director of Admissions
      Matthew Muller, Assistant Director of Admissions

      Working Group D: Standard V
      Leader:
      Kari Bennett, Registrar, Director of Institutional Research

      Members:
      Elizabeth Heywood, PhD, RN, Chair, Nursing Department
      Shellie Petrie, Associate Professor, Practical Nurse Certificate program
      Doug Rader, Campus Safety Systems Manager, Instructor, Liberal Arts & Management
      Joseph Castro, PhD, Instructor, Psychology

      Working Group E: Standard VI and VII
      Leaders:
      Peter Byrne, PhD, Chair of Liberal Arts & Management, Director of Psychology Program, Professor 
      Anne Devlin, MA, Deputy Chair of Liberal Arts & Management

      Members:
      Mark Hatlee, Director of IT
      Stephanie Hutchins, PhD, Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
      Kathleen Curtin, Administrative Assistant, Nursing
      Laurie Gilmore, Director of Academic Advisement

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