Swarthmore College

Middle States Accreditation Process

Contact Information

Swarthmore College
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore, PA, 19081
Email:
Ellen Magenheim - emagenh1
Robin Shores - rshores1
(Note that email addresses use the @swarthmore.edu domain.)

Middle States Accreditation Process

UPDATE:On June 25, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaffirmed the College's accreditation. No further action is requested prior to our Periodic Review Report in 2014.

Swarthmore College has embarked upon a comprehensive Self-Study as part of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education's reaccreditation review, which occurs every 10 years. The Self-Study will be completed by fall 2008. The Middle States review process culminates with a campus visit by a team of external evaluators from other colleges and universities in spring 2009. Following its visit, the team will issue an evaluation report, to which the College can submit a response. The Middle States Commission will use these materials as the basis for its decision on accreditation.

The College is integrating preparation of the Self-Study with the work of the College 2020 Planning effort that was initiated in 2006-2007. In order to prepare the Self-Study we will need to address the Middle States Commission's 14 Standards for Excellence. The Standards address the College's institutional context and educational effectiveness and ask us to analyze a range of topics including our mission, academic programs, and administrative structures. This work will be conducted by eight Planning Groups, the Middle States Steering Committee, and the 2020 Planning Steering Committee.

Integration of the reaccreditation process with the College's long-term planning offers us the opportunity to reflect on how effectively we are meeting our own goals and to think about a vision for the College's future and how to reach it. There will be numerous opportunities for the College community to engage in the process as we move through this important reaccreditation review.