The self-study is part of the accreditation process UMB undergoes every eight years.
Photo: Self-Study Steering Committee Co-Chair Roger J. Ward addresses attendees at one of the Middle States town halls.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) held five town halls this fall to engage employees and students in the University’s Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation self-study process.
During the town halls, attendees were asked to work within a small group to provide feedback on specific standards and the outline of a chapter of the Middle States Self-Study.
The town halls focused on Mission and Goals/Ethics and Integrity; Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement/Governance, Leadership, and Administration; Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience/Support of the Student Experience; Educational Effectiveness Assessment; and the MSCHE Seven Standards of Accreditation.
A regional accrediting organization that uses peer evaluation to ensure the quality and improvement of educational institutions, MSCHE is one of seven such organizations across the country. UMB, which first earned accreditation by the commission in 1921, undergoes a reaccreditation cycle every eight years. Along with ensuring that UMB is in compliance with the commission’s standards of excellence, MSCHE accreditation is an opportunity to strengthen the University through a comprehensive evaluation. It is also necessary for the University to continue to receive federal funding.
The full accreditation process includes two major components: the creation and submission of a self-study report to MSCHE and a multi-day site visit and review by peer evaluators from other accredited institutions, scheduled for spring 2025. UMB is engaged in gathering information for the self-study, which will examine how the University meets or exceeds the commission’s seven standards for accreditation and identify areas and strategies for improvement.
The series of Middle States town halls are an important part of the process, as participants from all corners of campus worked to assess UMB’s efforts in MSCHE standards and related requirements.
The process is being led by a Self-Study Steering Committee, which is co-chaired by Provost and Executive Vice President Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, and School of Dentistry Dean Mark Reynolds, DDS, PhD, MA. With broad representation across the University, including 24 staff, faculty, and students, the Steering Committee has appointed seven Self-Study Working Groups, each charged with producing a draft chapter for one of MSCHE’s standards that shows evidence of compliance and identifies areas of possible noncompliance and opportunities for improvement.
Find more information about the Middle States Self-Study and watch videos from the town halls here.