Early in 2023, Rensselaer initiated our self-study process for institutional accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The self-study accreditation process provides us with the opportunity to evaluate our mission and who we are as an institution, and to gather and assess evidence that indicates we are meeting – or exceeding – the rigorous standards set by the Commission. Unlike school-based accreditation for individual disciplines, institutional accreditation, and the seven standards developed by MSCHE, allows us to examine our entire institution holistically. Rensselaer is one of 517 institutions accredited by MSCHE, and we have been accredited by the Commission since 1927, with our accreditation most recently reaffirmed in 2016.
While institutional accreditation is voluntary, it is required in order for students to gain access to federal funds, including student grants and loans. Non-accredited institutions are not eligible to receive federal financial aid.
To accomplish our task, seven working groups were formed in early 2023 to gather evidence that demonstrates Rensselaer’s compliance with criteria for each standard, as well as the Commission’s Requirements of Affiliation. Eighty students, faculty, and staff from across the Institute assembled and created and submitted draft reports by January 31, 2024. Campus input is an essential component of an institutional reaccreditation effort. Therefore, during the summer of 2024 the entire campus had an opportunity to weigh in on the Institute’s report and submit their feedback on the report by September 30, 2024. Based on feedback from stakeholders, an updated draft report has been produced.
The self-study process will culminate in a final team visit by MSCHE (involving 7-8 reviewers) scheduled for April 6-9, 2025. In preparation for this final visit, a preliminary visit is scheduled for Thursday, October 17, 2024. During this visit, the MSCHE Team Chair, Dr. Teik C. Lim, President of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, along with Dr. Eugene Deess, Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, will be visiting our campus. They will meet with various stakeholders, including the Board of Trustees, senior leadership, faculty, staff, and students, in separate sessions. The agenda for the Preliminary Visit is available on the side panel. Open sessions for faculty and staff are a part of the schedule and you are encouraged to participate in those sessions. The venue and times for these sessions are on the agenda.
The draft report has been sent to the MSCHE Team Chair prior to the Preliminary Visit on October 17, 2024. The draft report is now available to review using the following link: MSCHE Draft Self Study Report September 30, 2024.
Our accreditation process is currently led by Dr. Emily Liu, Professor and Department Head, Industrial and Systems Engineering and Dr. Mohua Bose, Associate Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning. Credit is to be given to past co-chair Dr. Keith Moo-Young, Former Vice Provost and Dean, Undergraduate Education.
If you would like additional information regarding our Middle States accreditation, please contact Emily Liu (liue@rpi.edu) or Mohua Bose (bosem@rpi.edu).