MSCHE reaffirms Penn College’s accreditation

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has reaffirmed accreditation for Pennsylvania College of Technology for another eight years.

MSCHE is a voluntary, nongovernmental membership association that conducts accreditation and pre-accreditation activities for institutions of higher education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and any other geographic areas in which the Commission elects to conduct accrediting activities, including the evaluation of distance education and correspondence education programs offered at those institutions. MSCHE accredits institutions across the United States, as well as globally.

Every eight years, colleges and universities must reapply for Middle States accreditation. The evaluation includes an extensive self-study and a visit by a team of external evaluators that reads the college’s self-study report; examines documents and other information that serve as evidence that the college meets the seven standards for accreditation; speaks to students, faculty, staff and administrators; and makes a recommendation about whether to reaccredit.

The MSCHE team conducted its visit virtually, due to pandemic, from Feb. 27 through March 2. The evaluators found that the college met all standards for accreditation and requirements of affiliation, and the team had no recommendations or requirements for the college to fulfill.

Penn College, a special mission affiliate of Penn State, received notice that its accreditation was reaffirmed by MSCHE in late June. The college has held Middle States accreditation since 1970.

The next self-study evaluation for the college will be undertaken in 2029-30. The next midpoint peer review will be in 2026.

“Reaffirmation of our accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education – an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation – serves as a validation of Penn College’s academic rigor and ongoing commitment to educational quality,” said President Michael J. Reed. “MSCHE accreditation instills confidence in our students, employees and stakeholders that the college is allocating its resources prudently and fulfilling its unique and vital mission.”

“The decision of the Commission to reaffirm our accreditation is a testament to the work that we do each day to provide a quality educational experience for our students,” said Joanna K. Flynn, dean of curriculum and instruction, who served as accreditation liaison officer for the college. “It was through the hard work and dedication of the Steering Committee, standard-based work groups and the campus community participating in the process that we were able to achieve this result. We should be proud of the outcome.”

Mary Jo Saxe, faculty, School of Nursing & Health Sciences, and Tracey Amey, director of the Madigan Library, served as co-chairs of the Middle States Steering Committee.

To conduct the self-study, eight work groups, chaired by individuals representing a cross section of the institution, identified and reported evidence of the college’s ability to satisfy various standards and requirements: Standard 1: Mission and Goals; Standard 2: Ethics and Integrity; Standard 3: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience; Standard 4: Support of the Student Experience; Standard 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment; Standard 6: Planning, Resources and Institutional Improvement; Standard 7: Governance, Leadership and Administration; and Verification of Compliance.

Members of the Steering Committee were: Elliott Strickland Jr., vice president for student affairs, and Loni N. Kline, vice president for college relations (Standard 1); Wendy A. Miller, assistant dean, School of Nursing & Health Sciences, and Heather M. Shuey, senior director of employee success (Standard 2); Georgia R. Laudenslager, faculty librarian, Madigan Library, and Kathleen V. McNaul, LEAP adviser (Standard 3), Flynn and Randy J. Zangara, dean of college transitions and student success (Standard 4); Sue A. Kelley, dean, School of Business, Arts & Sciences, and Carolyn R. Strickland, vice president for enrollment management and associate provost (Standard 5); Anthony J. Pace, dean of academic operations, and Karen L. Stugart, director of financial operations and budgeting (Standard 6); Hillary E. Hofstrom, vice president for people and culture, and Brian J. Schurr, counselor (Standard 7); and Brian L. Cygan, executive director for assessment, research and planning (Verification of Compliance).

Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education. For more, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.