Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is comprised of our Middles States Self Study and Executive Team Co-Chairs Te-Wen Lo and John Fracchia, ex-officio members Mai An Rumney and Stacia Zabusky, all our Working Group Co-Chairs listed below, and our Center for Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging representative.

Middle States-Self Study and Executive Team Co-Chairs

Te-Wen Lo, Associate Professor, School of H&S; Faculty Fellow, Office of Access, Opportunity, and Achievement

John Fracchia, Career Engagement and Technology Specialist, Center for Career Exploration and Development

Ex Officio Executive Team Members

Mai An Rumney, Manager of Assessment and Accreditation, Academic Affairs

Stacia Zabusky, Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Accreditation Liaison Officer for MSCHE

Belisa Gonzalez, Dean of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

MSCHE StandardWorking Group Co-chairs

Standard 1

Mission & Goals 

Derek Adams, Associate Professor, School of H&S

Julie Dorsey, Associate Dean, School of HSHP

Standard II

Ethics & Integrity 

Dave Curry, Director, Center for Career Exploration and Development

Alison Shields, Associate Professor, School of Business

Standard III

Design & Delivery of the Student Learning Experience 

Mary Ann Erickson, Professor, School of HSHP

Eric Machan Howd, Director, Office of Extended Studies

Standard IV

Support of the Student Experience   

Jack Powers, Professor, School of Communications

Doreen Hettich-Atkins, Executive Director, Student Affairs and Campus Life

Standard V

Educational Effectiveness Assessment 

Chrystyna Dail, Associate Professor, School of Music, Theatre, and Dance

Jacqueline Winslow, Executive Director, Center for Student Success and Retention

Standard VI

Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement  

Christine Bataille, Associate Professor, School of Business

Brian Erickson, Associate Controller, Financial Services

Standard VII

Governance, Leadership, and Administration  

Dave Gondek, Associate Professor, School of H&S

Emily Rockett, Vice President and General Counsel, Legal Affairs

We also have an Operations and Data Management Team to support our efforts:

Operations and Data Management Team

Claire Borch, Senior Associate Director for Institutional Research, Office of Analytics and Institutional Research

Ron Gilmour, Web Services Library, Library

Jennifer King MacKenzie, Director of Marketing Strategy, Creative and Marketing Group

Mai An Rumney, Assessment and Accreditation Manager, Academic Affairs

Standards in Brief

Seven working groups are being formed, with each dedicated to developing and drafting chapters of the self-study related to one of the seven Middle States standards.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Middles States Commission on Higher Education Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation, 14th edition.