MSCHE 2026

The Steering Committee will create a self-study that will be shared with external reviewers in preparation for a site visit.  Each of the seven standards will have a working committee, composed of 10-12 faculty and staff led by two co-chairs who will also serve on the Steering Committee.    The working groups will meet on a regular basis to make decisions and distribute the workload. The committees will conduct an honest assessment of the university searching for both effective practices and also any areas of concern.  They will review documents, interview stakeholders and administer surveys to accomplish this task.  The document will undergo multiple reviews and revisions before it is submitted to Middle States. 

Here are some of the working group responsibilities: 

• Develop research questions to guide the evaluation process
• Create an outline and the narrative of the chapter
• Collect evidence to support the narrative
• Share best practices and potential areas of concern
• Seek feedback and make revisions

• February 2025: Finalize steering committee and working groups
• April 29, 2025 - MSCHE Liaison Visit: will speak with Drexel Stakeholders about the Self-Study Design Template
• Fall 205 - Chapter outlines due
• March 2026 - Draft chapters due
• April/May 2026 - Revisions and re-write
• June/July 2026 - Self-Study shared with Drexel Community
• September 2026 - Finalize Self-Study and upload to the MSCHE portal
• November 2026 - Site visit with peer evaluators 

Why are we conducting an accreditation so soon after the 2022 review?

• A federal regulation states that any college or school that undergoes a certain type of complex substantive change review with their institutional accreditor will be immediately put back into self-study.  The merger with Salus University fits into that category and will require a review before what would have normally been the 2030-31 academic year.

Is this a full review or will it only be about the merger with Salus University?

• While the merger will be a part of the evaluation, this will be a full accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. 

Will the process be any different this time?

• The process will largely be the same as in 2022 utilizing the organization strategies, processes and technology that was successful before.  The main difference will be the members of the steering committee as well as the working groups.  Some of the content will, of course, be different as well considering the changes since 2022 and also the plans for the near future.   

What is a Self-Study?

• A self-study is a 100-page narrative document that addresses all of the seven MSCHE standards in specific chapters.  This document will be the basis for the external reviewer's evaluation.  YOu can find the Drexel 2022 self-study within DrexelOne.  

What is a Site Visit?

• A site visit is a three-day visit to campus by peer evaluators from other colleges and universities within the MSCHE region in which Drexel stakeholders answer questions about the self-study and Drexel processes and policies.

What is the Self-Study Design Template?

• The Self-Study Design Template (SSD) is a document that is created in the beginning of the process that provides details and context for the process of the self-study review at the university. 

What will the composition of the peer review team?

• The peer evaluators will consist of about seven staff and faculty members from other colleges and schools from within the universities that have Middle States as their institutional accreditor.  The team lead will be either a president or a provost.   

The MSCHE Standards and Co-chairs

Standard I: Mission and Goals:

• How do the mission and goals as well as the strategic plan guide all facets of the Drexel University

Co-chairs: 

Standard II: Ethics and Integrity:

• How do we display ethics and integrity throughout all university operations including ensuring that Drexel is a welcoming place to all students, staff and faculty. 

Co-Chairs

• Julie Quinlan: Associate Director, Assistant Professor; Salus at Drexel University 
• Debra Ruben: Associate Professor, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design 

Sandard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience:

• How does Drexel organize and deliver the academic experience to students?

Co-Chairs

Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience:

• How does Drexel support students throughout the whole lifecycle including admissions and post-graduation?

Co-Chairs

Standard V: Educational Effectiveness: Assessment:

• How does Drexel evaluate student learning?

Co-Chairs

Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement:

• How does Drexel determine how to use it resources and how does it measure whether or not it is effective?

Co-Chairs

Standard VII: Leadership and Governance:

• What does the leadership structure look like and how do they interact?

Co-Chairs