Update on Middle States Reaffirmation of Accreditation: Self-Study Design

By Office of the President | Oct 30, 2023

The February 21, 2023 edition of the President’s Bulletin introduced the six project phases for Downstate’s Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) reaffirmation of accreditation process. We are approximately halfway through the self-study process, which will culminate in a site visit in March or April 2025. The steering committee and working groups are on track to demonstrate compliance with the Standards and Downstate’s commitment to continuous improvement and strengthening of our institution. Phase 2 of the self-study process finished with the delivery and acceptance of our Self-Study Design to Middle States in June 2023. The combined efforts of the nine Working Groups in Phase 3 will lay the foundation for writing the self-study report, which is due to Middle States in December 2024.

The self-study process is led by Pascal James Imperato, M.D., MPH&TM, MACP, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and chief academic officer. Jeffrey S. Putman, Ed.D., vice president for Academic & Student Affairs, and D. Kane Gillespie, DMA, director, Evaluation, Outcomes Assessment, and Accreditation Services, will chair the Steering Committee, and Lori A. Bruno, MPH, assistant vice president, Office of Policy and Planning will co-chair the Steering Committee. Ann Marie Cullen, administrator, Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, will serve as the Accreditation Liaison Officer. Tina Adjei-Bosompem, MPH assistant director of Evaluation, Outcomes Assessment, and Accreditation Services will serve in a critical supporting role for the self-study. The U.S. Department of Education mandates institutional accreditation to qualify for Federal Title IV student financial aid and for federal research grant funding. Downstate’s last reaffirmation of accreditation was in 2016 and is valid for eight years.

For more information on the Self-Study process, please feel free to visit the self-study website.