The College does a variety of State, Federal, and accreditation reporting, among others throughout the year. For Middle States, there are periodic submissions that are conducted to keep them updated on the College’s status and functions. One of the main annual reporting mechanisms that occurs is the Annual Institutional Update. This report includes high-level information about the College with information on its institutional characteristics including its institutional contacts, location, state degree granting authority, control, and its Carnegie classification, as well as key data indicators such as enrollment, financial information, and measures of student achievement. Middle States uses this report to identify trends at the College that might need to be commented on if it is higher or lower than expected (for example if a financial metric is below a certain threshold).

Another major report that the College submits is its Self-Study. This is currently done every eight (8) years and looks at the College’s compliance with the Standards of Accreditation, Requirements of Affiliation, and Federal Requirements.

Additionally, the College is required to keep Middle States informed as to what is deemed by Middle States to be a substantial change. Substantive changes include things like, but not limited to, adding a higher credential level than what is currently approved, opening or closing a branch campus, or making substantial changes to the scope of the institution’s mission. The College is required to inform Middle States of substantive changes before they are made.

The Self-Study is currently required every eight years. It is an opportunity for the College to conduct an in-depth evaluation of its operations, with an emphasis on a collaborative and evidence-informed process, demonstrating compliance with the Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation. 

Peer reviewers conduct an on-site review centered around the findings of the Self-Study, verifying the College’s compliance, and providing areas for improvement. The Self-Study is conducted over a three-year period. FCC’s Self-Study process began in fall 2022, utilizing the 13th Edition of the MSCHE Standards, and will be concluded in early 2025 with the peer evaluation and notice of action by MSCHE including reaffirmation, non-compliance, or adverse actions.

DEIB has been something that the College has focused on for some time from both an equity gap perspective in academic achievement, but also in recruitment and retention efforts. MSCHE revised their Standards for Accreditation in 2023, which explicitly made DEIB a requirement for institutions. FCC has been ahead of the Standards in this regard in its practices and focus, but also by explicitly including DEIB as a focus in the current Self-Study with a specific intended outcome around DEIB. Although there have been some efforts nationally to limit or dismantle efforts around DEIB, MSCHE reinforced their focus on DEIB in the revised standards. While MSCHE added additional requirements in their Standards, the work around DEIB has been underway, and will continue with FCC’s commitment to being an inclusive learning environment where all students are empowered and given the resources to succeed.

Evidence can be anything that the College uses to inform decision-making. Most people hear “data” when they hear evidence, and this can include formal data, but it is intended to be interpreted more broadly than just data. We sometimes hear “data-driven decision making,” but data is not the only thing that we use to make decisions. As humans, we are constantly taking in information, so we inform decision based on the totality of information that we are provided (including, but not limited to just data). We understand, for example, that past trend data only tells part of the picture. If we have low enrollment in one program historically, a trendline might predict continued small enrollment; however, if concerted efforts are made to strategically increase enrollment in that program, the data-alone does not provide all of the answers.

When Work Groups talk about evidence, they can be referring to things like formal data, after-action reports that the College may produce to summarize activities conducted around an initiative and things that would be good to do next time if the same initiative were run, consulting reports from external entities who evaluate a program or department, external audits (for example financial audits) that talk about how the College performed or if their activities were integrity-driven, and even qualitative data like focus groups or surveys, for example.

Evidence is not only backward-looking efforts, but it can include things like standard operating procedures, policies, etc. Therefore, when you hear evidence, think about something that demonstrates proof of actions or intended actions, or that demonstrates achievement of mission. The collection and documentation of evidence around a standard is specifically intended to demonstrate whether or not the College is able, with proof, to show compliance with the standard or requirement.

From spring 2023, the Co-Chairs developed a form used to elicit potential interest in volunteering for roles essential for the completion of the Self-Study. The form is still active, and we welcome individuals to indicate their interest. Our most current need is for 1) individuals to assist with the logistics around the self-study visit (planning occurring now for the visits in fall 2024 and spring 2025), and for 2) individuals to serve as secondary readers and commenters on drafted chapters of the self-study. 
Complete this brief questionnaire to express your interest. Please reach out to the Co-Chairs if you have any questions before submitting your interest.

In summer 2022, MSCHE began to engage the College in planning for the Self-Study. At this time, members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at the time were asked to identify potential individuals who could support the Self-Study. Names of individuals were put forward to participate in the Self-Study Institute (SSI). At the conclusion of the SSI, these individuals were asked to consider participating in the Self-Study as members of the Steering Committee. In Spring 2023, the Steering Committee began the formation of Work Group Chairs and the development of the Self-Study Design (SSD), which is the roadmap for the Self-Study. The Co-Chairs of the Self-Study put out public calls for potential participation in Work Groups and in Work Group Leadership, visiting Affinity Groups and public announcements on Communication Central. As individuals indicated their interest via these public calls, the leadership of the Work Groups was solidified, and Vice Chairs and members were appointed from these individuals who indicated interest. The goal was to create an inclusive pool of campus members who would volunteer for their roles, building an intentional collaborative and representative sample of the varied thoughts and visions of the College community.

Being aware of requirements around Middle States is an ongoing effort, requiring us to continually understand and adapt as requirements or even as Federal regulations change. This is not the job of any one person, because the functions and departments at the College span all of the Standards and Requirements of Affiliation. This will help the College to not only be prepared the next time we conduct the Self-Study (starting the process is closer than you might expect!), but to ensure that we remain ever compliant in between Self-Studies. Remember that Self-Studies are a timebound event, but accreditation is ongoing. Therefore, understanding where relevant information can be found from Middle States is important for all of us. 

The Middle States website has many useful tools and resources that can help in understanding what the College is required to do. There are many Self-Study related resources including a Self-Study Guide (this is the guide specifically for the 13th edition of the Standards because this is what the College is bound to for this Self-Study; you will recall the Middle States moved to the 14th edition as of July 1, 2024). Middle States also hosts an annual conference in December where peers and vendors present on the work that they have done in relation to Self-Studies, planning, and general topics around accreditation. Middle States has a forum on their website where they post announcements and news, you can sign up to receive these announcements in your email, and they also host virtual events (usually once per month) throughout the year around topics that are relevant to the Standards and practices within colleges and universities.

While we are providing resources to the College via a variety of means throughout the process (including this newsletter and our Self-Study website), if you are interested in having one of the Co-Chairs or another person from Institutional Effectiveness give your team/department an update, please reach out to us at [email protected]. This could include an update on the Self-Study or even talking to you and your team about accreditation and demonstrating compliance. 

To understand more about the scope of the Work Groups, see the “Work Groups” section of the Self-Study webpage, which, identifies the group chair, vice chair, and members, and provides a brief explanation of the focus of the specific Standard that each work group is assigned.

The Co-Chairs maintain the Self-Study page as a public record of the progress of the Self-Study over time. It is regularly updated and includes information on individuals participating in the self-study, how to get involved, and additional resources that might be helpful for employees, students, and the wider Frederick County community about the process.  One of the most important documents currently on the website is the Self-Study Design (SSD). This is the roadmap for the Self-Study and is maintained and regularly updated as a living document for the progress of the Self-Study. The FCC community is encouraged to visit the PDF version of the SSD, as it is updated as we progress through the Self-Study.  

Additionally, the Co-Chairs will arrange for periodic updates to the campus community about Work Group findings and progress updates. Please watch Communication Central for information on when these sessions are scheduled.