Self-Study Process

In Fall 2024, Pace launched the reaccreditation process which will culminate in a peer evaluation visit in spring 2027. This process affirms our commitment to our students and our community to ensure that our educational experience meets the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Standards of Accreditation. Co-chairs were selected, a call for participation was distributed and working groups assembled around the seven Middle States Standards.

Middle States Standards

1. Mission and Goals
   The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.
2. Ethics and Integrity
   Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.
3. Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
   An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.
4. Support of the Student Experience
   Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.
5. Educational Effectiveness Assessment
   Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.
6. Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
   The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.
7. Governance, Leadership, and Administration
   The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with a related entity, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

Working Groups

Each standard has a working group along with inventory and communication working groups. View the working groups.

Timeline

Fall 2023

• Assessment of assessment
• Orient staff to updated standards (14th edition)

Spring 2024

• Recommended assessment action plans in place
• Organize data collection for all standards
• Identify candidates for executive roles

Fall 2024

• Revised assessment plans in place
• Self-study Institute
• Finalize leadership
• Consensus on self-study priorities

Spring 2025

• Working groups formed
• Submit self-study design
• HOST MSCHE visit April 23, 2025

Summer 2025

• Self-study design approved
• Data collection

Fall 2025

• Data collection
• Research
• Begin drafting report

Spring 2026

• First draft
• Final data collection

Summer 2026

• Finalize draft for community input

Fall 2026

• Community input on draft
• Finalize draft and evidence inventory
• Team Chair visit

Spring 2027

• Upload report for Peer Evaluators (end of January 2027)
• Evaluation visit (March 2027)
• Final report (May 2027)