Penn College’s Accreditation Reaffirmed by Middle States
Published 07.06.2012
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The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has reaffirmed accreditation for Pennsylvania College of Technology and commended the college for the quality of its 2012 Self-Study process.
Penn College, a special mission affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University, received notice that its accreditation was reaffirmed at a Commission session held June 28.
Every 10 years, colleges and universities must reapply for Middle States accreditation. The decennial evaluation includes an extensive Self-Study and a visit by a team of external evaluators who read the college’s Self-Study report; examine documents and other information that serve as evidence that the college meets the standards (14 “Characteristics of Excellence”); speak to students, faculty, staff and administrators; and make a recommendation about whether to reaccredit.
Penn College has held Middle States accreditation since 1970. The next Self-Study Evaluation is not due until 2021-22.
“We are very pleased with the outcome, and I commend the Steering Committee and its co- chairs, Tom F. Gregory and Elizabeth L. Meyer, as well as Veronica M. Muzic and other college faculty and staff, for their hard work with this comprehensive effort,” said Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour. “Self-Study is a process for us to look at ourselves and continually strive for improvement. I am very proud of the high-quality education and training we provide for students, and I look for our continuous self-assessment and development as an institution."
An evaluation team representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education visited Penn College April 15-18. The lone recommendation from the team was a request that the college’s Periodic Review Report, due in June 2017, document further evidence that student learning assessment is used to improve teaching and learning.
“The visiting team was very impressed with the College’s mission and the degree to which the community has embraced it,” the evaluation team’s report states. “The tag line ‘Degrees That Work’ and the ‘hands-on’ pedagogy that permeate the campus culture resonate with both students and faculty. Great pride in being associated with Penn College is evident from the ground(s)keepers to the President. A commitment to community is rooted in the College’s history and remains strong today. Evidence of the responsibility Penn College has to economic development is apparent in the responsiveness to workforce development needs in the region through academic certificate and degree programs as well as continuing education offerings.”
Meyer and Gregory served as Steering Committee chairs for the college’s Self-Study. Study groups and their chairs were: Mission, Planning and Resources, William J. Martin and Eugene M. McAvoy; Institutional Leadership, Gerri F. Luke and Lisette N. Ormsbee; Integrity and Faculty, Nancy A. Grausam, Daniel L. Brooks and Mary Jo Saxe; Instruction and Outcomes, Muzic and Kathleen V. McNaul; and Student Admissions and Support, Carolyn R. Strickland and Elliott Strickland Jr.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as an accreditor of more than 525 degree-granting colleges and universities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and selected international locations. The Commission defines, maintains and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations and resources. It examines each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within institutions.
For more about Penn College, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
Penn College, a special mission affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University, received notice that its accreditation was reaffirmed at a Commission session held June 28.
Every 10 years, colleges and universities must reapply for Middle States accreditation. The decennial evaluation includes an extensive Self-Study and a visit by a team of external evaluators who read the college’s Self-Study report; examine documents and other information that serve as evidence that the college meets the standards (14 “Characteristics of Excellence”); speak to students, faculty, staff and administrators; and make a recommendation about whether to reaccredit.
Penn College has held Middle States accreditation since 1970. The next Self-Study Evaluation is not due until 2021-22.
“We are very pleased with the outcome, and I commend the Steering Committee and its co- chairs, Tom F. Gregory and Elizabeth L. Meyer, as well as Veronica M. Muzic and other college faculty and staff, for their hard work with this comprehensive effort,” said Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour. “Self-Study is a process for us to look at ourselves and continually strive for improvement. I am very proud of the high-quality education and training we provide for students, and I look for our continuous self-assessment and development as an institution."
An evaluation team representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education visited Penn College April 15-18. The lone recommendation from the team was a request that the college’s Periodic Review Report, due in June 2017, document further evidence that student learning assessment is used to improve teaching and learning.
“The visiting team was very impressed with the College’s mission and the degree to which the community has embraced it,” the evaluation team’s report states. “The tag line ‘Degrees That Work’ and the ‘hands-on’ pedagogy that permeate the campus culture resonate with both students and faculty. Great pride in being associated with Penn College is evident from the ground(s)keepers to the President. A commitment to community is rooted in the College’s history and remains strong today. Evidence of the responsibility Penn College has to economic development is apparent in the responsiveness to workforce development needs in the region through academic certificate and degree programs as well as continuing education offerings.”
Meyer and Gregory served as Steering Committee chairs for the college’s Self-Study. Study groups and their chairs were: Mission, Planning and Resources, William J. Martin and Eugene M. McAvoy; Institutional Leadership, Gerri F. Luke and Lisette N. Ormsbee; Integrity and Faculty, Nancy A. Grausam, Daniel L. Brooks and Mary Jo Saxe; Instruction and Outcomes, Muzic and Kathleen V. McNaul; and Student Admissions and Support, Carolyn R. Strickland and Elliott Strickland Jr.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as an accreditor of more than 525 degree-granting colleges and universities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and selected international locations. The Commission defines, maintains and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations and resources. It examines each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within institutions.
For more about Penn College, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.