Communications and Media

MIDDLE STATES REACCREDITATION, 1/1/2023

Co-Chairs Drs. Kara Raab & Jessica Clark emailed the campus community to outline the process and communicate the importance of participation in the self-study.

View the email from Co-Chairs - 1/18/2023
Dear Campus Community,

As you may have heard, Salisbury University is about to begin the multi-year process of reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). This reaccreditation process occurs every eight years and requires significant input from stakeholders across the University community.

What is involved in the process of MSCHE reaccreditation? Over the next two years, we (faculty, staff, and students) will work together to rigorously examine our institutional priorities and operations to create a document and provide supporting evidence that demonstrates that we are meeting the relevant standards for accreditation described by MSCHE. In spring 2025, a team of peer evaluators from other universities will visit SU and meet with groups across our campus. During this threeday visit, the evaluation team will learn more about SU and our Self-Study process to ensure that our report accurately represents our institution. The peer evaluators will present their findings to campus and provide a written report to MSCHE. MSCHE will then determine if we are meeting all MSCHE standards and should be reaccredited.

Why is this necessary? Federal law mandates that any institution receiving federal funding is required to be continuously accredited. Without this, SU would not be able to award financial aid or be able to receive research funding.

Why is this important? This deep introspective work ensures that we are operating resourcefully, ethically, and most importantly, in the best interest of our students. What we learn through this process, and the feedback we receive from the evaluation team and MSCHE, guarantees that we are staying true to our mission and our values, while also ensuring that we continue to be the innovative institution of excellence that SU is.

Like any worth while endeavor, the Self-Study process requires a significant commitment from the campus community. Today we ask for you to indicate your interest in participating in one of the five working groups, which are organized around priorities related to SU’s strategic plan:
- Working Group 1: Academic Success and Student Development
- Working Group 2: Inclusive Excellence, Support and Collaboration
- Working Group 3: Access, Affordability and Academic Excellence
- Working Group 4: Community Engagement
- Working Group 5: Requirements of Affiliation
Each working group will be responsible for analyzing and documenting the institution’s compliance with MSCHE standards within the realm of these institutional priorities. They will also be tasked with finding opportunities for improvement or innovation which will then be communicated with the Steering Committee for eventual inclusion in the Self-Study Report. An abbreviated timeline is included below with responsibilities of the working groups highlighted in yellow.

We hope that you will consider being a part of this important process. Please indicate here your interest in volunteering as a working group member, along with the working group that you feel you will be able to best represent. We hope that you will reply no later than Feb. 3.

As the Co-Chairs of this process, we thank you for your consideration. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions about the timeline or expectations of the committee’s work.

Kara and Jessica

Kara Owens Raab, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Planning and Assessment
Jessica Clark, Ph.D., Assistant Provost for Faculty Success

Abbreviated Project Timeline:

Spring 2023:
- February 2023: Steering Committee writes and submits Self-Study Design draft
- March-April 2023: Host Self-Study Preparation 1-day visit with MSCHE VP liaison.
- April-June 2023: Working groups review their charges and share questions and/or concerns with the Steering Committee.
- June 2023: Working group provides the Steering Committee with a list of any documents, data, or additional resources that they will need to complete their work.
Fall 2023:
- August-Sept 2023: Self-Study Design reviewed by University community
- Mid-September 2023: Steering Committee holds an open meeting with entire community to receive feedback
- October 2023: Steering Committee meets with working groups
- Nov 2023-March 2024: Working groups conduct analysis and create reports
Spring 2024:
- March 2024: Working groups submit reports
- April-July 2024:
  - Self-Study draft written and shared with President’s Cabinet.
  - MSCHE assembles the Self-Study chair and evaluation team and selects visit date.
Fall 2024:
- September 2024: Self-Study Draft sent to campus for comment. Steering Committee meets with the University community to receive feedback and revise draft of the Self-Study.
- October 2024: Self-Study draft sent to Team Visit Chair
- November 2024: Preliminary visit by Middle States team chair
- December 2024: Steering Committee finalizes draft based on Team Chair visit
Spring 2025:
- January 2025: Submit/Upload Final Self-Study and data
- March 2025:
  - Three-day Self-Study visit. Team Chair presents oral report to President, then to campus.
  - Team Draft Report received within 14 calendar days of the conclusion of the team visit
- April 2025: Formal Institutional Response to report
- May-June 2025: Commission takes an accreditation action

MIDDLE STATES INFORMATION SHEET OFFERED TO ATTENDEES AT STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS, 2/7/23

President Carolyn Ringer Lepre delivered her inaugural State of the University Address on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, speaking to hundreds of students, faculty, staff, supporters, and officials about the future of the institution. Attendees received the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Reaccreditation information sheet.

View Reaccreditation information sheet (PDF)

MIDDLE STATES LIAISON VISIT CAMPUS-WIDE EMAIL REMINDER, 3/27/23

Co-Chairs Drs. Kara Raab & Jessica Clark emailed the campus community as a reminder of the Open-Campus Session with Salisbury University’s MSCHE liaison, Dr. Sean McKitrick, Vice President for Institutional Field Relations on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 2-3 pm.

View the MSCHE Open-Campus email - 3/27/2023

Dear Campus Community,

We want to thank the more than 90 faculty, staff, and students who have volunteered to serve on a Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Self-Study working group. The Self-Study is an important process which allows us to examine our institutional priorities and operations to document and provide supporting evidence that SU is meeting the relevant standards for accreditation described by MSCHE. While this process will culminate in a spring 2025 campus visit with a team of peer evaluators from other universities, there is an important event next week that the entire campus community is invited to attend.

Please mark your calendars for March 28, 2023, at 2pm for an open session with Salisbury University’s MSCHE liaison, Dr. Sean McKitrick, Vice President for Institutional Field Relations at MSCHE. In his role, Dr. McKitrick serves as a liaison to member institutions, provides training to institutions and volunteers, and supports the accreditation decision-making work of the Commission. As part of the Self-Study process, Dr. McKitrick will visit campus on March 28th, and will meet with the President, discuss the Self-Study Design Plan with the MSCHE Self-Study Steering Committee, and host an open-campus session to explain the accreditation procedures and the role of faculty, staff, and students in the Self-Study process. During this meeting, any questions related to the Self-Study will be answered. Please consider joining us in-person or virtually for this important event. Additionally, you can see SU’s Self-Study Design Plan and other details of the Self-Study process by visiting our website.

Open Session Details:

When: March 28, 2023 at 2:00pm

Where: Guerrieri Academic Commons-Room 462

As the Co-Chairs of this process, we thank you for your consideration. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

Kara and Jessica

Kara Owens Raab, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Planning and Assessment
Jessica Clark, Ph.D., Assistant Provost for Faculty Success, Associate Professor Biological Sciences

MIDDLE STATES LIAISON SITE VISIT, 3/28/2023

Site Visit 03/28/2023 (Video)

Dr. Sean McKitrick visited SU for a review of the Self-Study Design Plan and spent time with President Lepre, the Co-Chairs, and the Steering Committee, as well as virtual and in-person attendees of the Open-Campus session.

View Dr. McKitrick’s presentation (PDF)

MIDDLE STATES RETREAT, 4/28/2023

MIDDLE STATES RETREAT

FRIDAY APRIL 28 • 2023 10 A.M.-1 P.M. • PERDUE HALL

Join us as we prepare for the Middle States Self-Study.

Food and drink are provided as you learn more about your part in this important process!

Members of the Steering Committee & working groups will gather for the Middle States Self-Study Retreat on Friday, April 28 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. to discuss the timeline, charges, and expectations for working group members, as well as answer any questions. There will be a break-out opportunity over lunch for each working group to facilitate a more in-depth look at the work ahead!