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