Wilmington University Accreditation Self-Study
Sections
About Middle States Peer Review and Re-Accreditation
The Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE) grants accreditation to higher education institutions. The accreditation cycle consists of a Self-Study Evaluation and On-Site Evaluation visit and a Mid-Point Peer Review (MPRR).
From the MSCHE Standards:
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), through accreditation, mandates that its member institutions meet rigorous and comprehensive standards, which are addressed in the context of the mission of each institution and within the culture of ethical practices and institutional integrity expected of accredited institutions. In meeting the quality standards of MSCHE accreditation, institutions earn accredited status, and this permits them to state with confidence: “Our students are well-served; society is well-served.”
To learn more about MSCHE and accreditation, visit the MSCHE web site.
Self-Study Evaluation Visit Chair
History & Timeline
Wilmington University was first accredited by MSCHE in 1975 and has maintained accreditation since. Our last accreditation was in 2015, with our Peer Review submitted and accepted in 2019. Since the time of our last re-accreditation, MSCHE shortened the accreditation cycle from 10 years to eight years, with our visits at nine years apart during the transition. At Wilmington University, we are conducting our next self-study throughout 2022 and 2023, with the final report planned for submission to MSCHE in early 2024.
Timeline
Revised September 21, 2023
Spring 2022
February
- Work Group Co-Chairs and Work Group members invited to serve
- February 25: Kick-off meeting with work groups members and Executive Leadership
- March 9: University Coordinating Council Kick-off by Dr. Jordan and Dr. Westerfield
- March 10: Faculty Senate Kick-off by Dr. Jordan and Dr. Westerfield
- March 15: Self-Study Prep Visit from MSCHE liaison, Dr. Bob Bonfiglio
- Self-study design approved
- April 8: Steering Committee Meeting
- SharePoint/Teams Site Live
Summer 2022
May- Steering Committee and work groups begin meeting regularly
July
- Create web page with WilmU’s Middle States Self-Study information
Fall 2022
Steering committee meets once a month to review work group progress and draft Chapter One (Introduction).
November
- November 18: Work groups submit an outline for their respective standard
Winter/Spring/Summer 2023
January
- MSCHE selects evaluation team Chair; WU approves selection. Dates are selected for team visit and for Chair’s preliminary visit
- January 23: Update to University Coordinating Council
January through May
- Draft report edited
April
- Final draft reports from working groups submitted to Steering committee
May through August
- The co-chairs, with support from others, complete revisions
- The co-chairs, with support from others, plan the release of the draft report to the campus community for comment as well as design and implementation of mechanisms to collect feedback
Fall 2023
September
- September 23: The self-study process and standards are discussed at the Conference on Teaching Excellence.
October
- October 4: The self-study process and standards are discussed at the University-Wide meeting.
- October 30-31: Evaluation Team Chair preliminary visit
Purpose (from the MSCHE website): The Team Chair’s preliminary visit assists the institution in understanding how the team will operate, and it assists the chair in planning how best to deploy the team. The purposes of the Chair’s preliminary visit are to:
- Introduce the Team Chair to the institution, its people, and its environment so that the chair and team of peer evaluators can begin the upcoming on-site evaluation visit efficiently and effectively.
- Ensure that the self-study process and evidence inventory approach will support a useful Evaluation Team visit.
- Address practical preparation for the visit and to determine the institution’s readiness to host the visit.
- If applicable, discuss the requirements and logistics for branch campus and additional location visits.
- Draft revised as appropriate based on feedback from Team Chair and other reviewers
Spring 2024
January/February
- Final version of Self-study approved by the Board of Trustees and submitted to Evaluation Team and MSCHE
- Final document is published.
- Submit final Self-Study report to Middle States six weeks prior to site visit
March
- March 17-20: Self-study Evaluation Team visit
Led by the Team Chair, a team of peer reviewers will visit Wilmington University to verify information in the Self-Study Report and meet with constituents.
June
- MSCHE acts on Evaluation Report
- Institutional Response to MSCHE
2028
June
- Periodic Review Report submitted to MSCHE
Steering Committee & Workgroup Members
Revised September 21, 2023
Self-Study Co-Chairs
- Dr. Liz Jordan, Information Technology
- Dr. Mary Ann Westerfield, Academic Support Services
Work Group 1
- Standard 1, Mission & Goals
- Requirements of Affiliation 7 (Mission & Goals)
Members
- Dr. Angela Herman, co-chair, College of Health Professions and Natural Science
- Doug Scappa, co-chair, New Jersey Site
- Brian Beard, Information Technology
- Dr. Maria Hess, Office of the President
- Dr. Nicole McDaniel, Financial Aid
- Wendy Kennedy, Information Technology
- Alexis Murphy, Academic Affairs
- Melissa Palese, Student Recruitment
- Courtney Rossi, Human Resources
- Dr. Regina Allen-Sharpe, Student Affairs
- Adam Voyton, Online Learning and Educational Technology
- Dana White, Alumni Relations
- Dr. Jim Wilson, Academic Affairs
- Thomas Leipold, Board of Trustees
Work Group 2
- Standard II, Ethics and Integrity
Members
- Dr. Nicole Ballenger, co-chair, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Dr. Nicole Romano, co-chair, Human Resources
- Maria Bannon, College of Technology
- Dr. Johanna Bishop, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Dan Burke, Student Affairs
- Gigi Gaul, Online Learning & Educational Technology
- Julie Gladden, SAFB site
- Lauren Godwin, Admissions
- Dr. Aaron Sebach, College of Health Professions and Natural Sciences
- Dr. Danny Walker, College of Education and Liberal Arts
- Misty Williams, Office of the Registrar
- Student Representative, Vaishnav Hari
Work Group 3
- Standard III, Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
- Requirements of Affiliation 8 (Evaluation and Communication of Educational Programs), 9 (Rigor and Coherence of Educational Programs), 10 (Institutional Planning Linked to Education Goals, and 15 (Core Faculty)
Members
- Dr. Kate Cottle, co-chair, College of Education
- Dr. Sallie Reissman, co-chair, Academic Affairs
- Dr. Deb Berke, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Dr. Adrienne Bey, Center for Teaching Excellence
- Dr. Matt Davis, Academic Affairs
- Megan Hamilton, Office of the Registrar
- Dana Hanf, New Jersey Sites
- Pam Huxtable, Online Learning & Educational Technology
- Dedra Poe, College of Education and Liberal Arts
- Lindsay Rice, Partnership and Community Affairs
- Christyn Rudolf, Student Life
- Michelle Reyes, Library
Work Group 4
- Standard IV, Support of the Student Experience
- Requirements of Affiliation 8 (Evaluation and Communication of Educational programs), 9 (Rigor and Coherence of Educational Programs), and 10 (Institutional Planning Linked to Educational Goals)
Members
- Lucia Nemeth, co-chair, Academic Support Services
- Dr. Bonnie Kirkpatrick, co-chair, Academic Support Services
- Dr. Diane Bansbach, College of Education and Liberal Arts
- Dr. Lauren Havens, Online Learning & Educational Technology
- Christina Darrah, Student Financial Services
- Jeff Martino, Partnership and Community Affairs
- Alice Miller, Student Life
- Kim Plusch, Career Services
- Sherri Strobel, Academic Advising
- Dr. Robin Weinstein, College of Business
- Student Representative, Elizabeth Barben
Work Group 5
- Standard V, Educational Effectiveness Assessment
- Requirements of Affiliation 8 (Evaluation and Communication of Educational programs), 9 (Rigor and Coherence of Educational Programs), and 10 (Institutional Planning Linked to Educational Goals)
Members
- Dr. John Sparco, co-chair, College of Business
- Dr. Denise Wells, co-chair, Academic Affairs
- Dr. Michele Brewer, College of Education and Liberal Arts
- Dr. Stephen Buchanan, Online Learning & Educational Technology
- Dr. Kelly Cheeseman, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Dr. Michael Curry, College of Education and Liberal Arts
- Dr. Katie Leach, College of Health Professions and Natural Sciences
- Gary Seydell, Academic Advising
- Dr. Matt Wilson, College of Education and Natural Sciences
- Adjunct Faculty Representative, TBD
Work Group 6
- Standard VI, Planning, Resources, and Institutional Assessment
- Requirements of Affiliation 10 (Institutional Planning linked to educational goals) and 11 (Documented financial resources and fiscal management)
Members
- Jean Davis, co-chair, College of Business
- Heather O’Connell, co-chair, Operations
- Robin Angelucci, Financial Affairs
- Brian Beard, Information Technology
- Jaimee Campbell, Human Resources
- Dennis Craighton, University Safety
- Tim Day, College of Technology
- Adrienne Johnson, Library
- Dr. Kathy Kennedy-Ratajack, College of Business
- Don Kukawski, Buildings and Maintenance
- Lloyd Ricketts, Financial Affairs
- Rebecca Ritchie, Student Financial Services
- Honorable Sue L. Robinson, Board of Trustees
Work Group 7
- Standard VII, Governance, Leadership, and Administration
- Requirements of Affiliation 12 (Governance) and 13 (Appropriate and unconflicted governing body)
Members
- Dr. Karen Sheats, co-chair, Human Resources
- Pete Lutus, co-chair, Information Technology
- Tom Hurd, Wilson Graduate Center
- Dr. Frank Ingraham, Alumni Association Executive Board
- Dr. Stefanie Whitby, Athletics and Alumni
- Ashley Mundy, Office of the President
- Paula Potochney, Academic Affairs
- Dr. Rob Rescigno, Partnership and Community Relations
- Sherry Stephens, Dover Site
- Dr. Don Stuhlman, College of Business
- Larry Miller, Board of Trustees
Data and Evidence
- Dr. Dana Chapman, Institutional Research