A Remarkable Visit from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Dear Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors and Department Chairs,

This week, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) peer review team visited our campus as the culminating step in our eight-year accreditation reaffirmation process. During their visit, the team met with students, faculty, staff, campus leaders and members of the Board of Regents to learn more about our institution and engage in conversations about our Institutional Self-Study.

We had the opportunity to sit in on many of these meetings, which reaffirmed what we’ve always known to be true: how incredible the people who drive our university forward are. We clearly demonstrated our shared commitment to the Fearlessly Forward strategic plan, our priority to cultivate a culture of care and respect, and our excellence and impact for the public good.

Yesterday, the peer review team delivered an oral report outlining their preliminary observations. They highlighted strengths in strategic planning, teaching and learning, student support and well-being, access and affordability, and evidence-based decision-making. These observations are preliminary and will be formalized in a written report in the coming weeks, which will be submitted to the Commission for review and final action on reaffirmation in late June.

This process reflects years of institution-wide effort—working groups, a steering committee, town halls, a comprehensive self-study and extensive evidence gathering—and the collective contributions of faculty, staff and students across the university.

We offer our special gratitude and appreciation to William Reed, Michelle Appel, Rochelle Newman, Elizabeth Beise, Megan Gebregziabher and Bradley Bower for their leadership of the accreditation process, report development and visit coordination.

Thank you to every member of our community who engaged in this process. The knowledge and passion you shared are invaluable. We are confident the peer review team left with a strong understanding of our mission, values and impact.

Sincerely,