Middle States Commission on Higher Education Revised Compliance Verification Requirements - What's New?

In August 2014, we wrote an article regarding the Middle States Commission on Higher Education published guidelines participating in an accreditation-related review (Self-Study or Periodic Review Report (PRR)).  In 2015, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education published revised guidelines for these institutions.  These guidelines require such institutions to complete the Verification of Compliance with Accreditation-Relevant Federal Regulations for review by peer evaluators. The guidelines were published for implementation in 2016 and require institutions to submit a detailed report and related documentation regarding policies, procedures and processes in place.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education Previous Guidelines:

• Student identity verification in distance and correspondence education
• Transfer-of-credit policies and articulation agreements
• Title IV program responsibilities (including Cohort Default Rate)
• Assignment of credit hours

Middle States Commission on Higher Education's Updated Guidelines Now Include:

• Institutional records for student complaints
• Required information for students and the public
• Standing with state and other accrediting agencies
• Contractual relationships

If your institution is in the process of preparing the required compliance report and documentation or if you are interested in partnering with a third party to help evaluate your compliance efforts, please contact us. We have assisted other institutions with documenting processes and procedures with respect to the requirements and have provided recommendations with respect to the compliance requirements.