Add Your Voice to UAlbany’s Reaccreditation Self-Study 

Faculty and staff listen to a presentation last September at a town hall meeting announcing the start of the Middle States reaccreditation process. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 3, 2019) — Last September, the University launched an institutional self-study as part of the process of retaining its accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

The process, similar to an institutional report card, began with the creation of a steering committee and working groups to engage in a self-study review of UAlbany.

Jeanette Altarriba, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Jason Lane, interim dean of the School of Education, co-chair the steering committee. Together, with colleagues from across the University, they oversee the seven working groups that are evaluating the University according to the standards set by MSCHE. Those working groups include more than 75 stakeholders, representing faculty, staff and students from across the institution.

“The Middle States review provides us with the opportunity to assess various aspects of our campus and support our mission to engage in continuous review and self-improvement,” Altarriba said. “We are pleased to engage with the campus community on this important undertaking.”

The self-study process is meant to be inclusive and represent the entire University. All members of its community are invited to review the draft of the self-study report as well as a series of introductory videos reviewing the standards set by MSCHE. You can then send your thoughts, comments and questions to [email protected] by Oct. 31. You will need to log in with your University NetID to access the report.

“This is a very data-driven process and the draft document is based on our collective analysis of the data,” Lane said. “The main report is limited to 100 pages, so we had to make some decisions about what to include and we feel this reflects the major themes and issues being addressed by the University.”

Campus members can attend one of the open sessions designed to explain the self-study process and findings.

• 3-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, in Milne 200 on the Downtown Campus
• 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, in the Auditorium on the Health Sciences Campus
• 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, in the CC Multi-Purpose Room on the Uptown Campus

Accreditation for colleges and universities is essentially proof that their programs meet certain standards set by a certified private educational association — in this case MSCHE — that is recognized by the U.S. government.

The accreditation process, according to MSCHE, “ensures institutional accountability, self-appraisal, improvement and innovation through peer review and the rigorous application of standards within the context of institutional mission.” Accreditation also is a requirement for students to be eligible for federal financial aid.

UAlbany is seeking an 8-year reaccreditation from MSCHE, which evaluates colleges and universities in the Middle States region, comprised of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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