The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is one of several institutional accreditors recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDoE). Part of the work of MSCHE is ensuring institutions remain in compliance with applicable federal requirements, including through their title IV responsibilities.

Accreditation helps to strengthen and sustain higher education, making it worthy of public confidence, and minimizing the scope of external control. It also demonstrates institutions’ commitment to continuous self-assessment. Importantly, accreditation allows institutions to disperse federal financial aid (e.g., Pell grants) and allows the credits earned by students at BCC to be recognized by other higher education institutions throughout the nation and beyond.

The MSCHE Self-Study requires institutions to engage in an in-depth, comprehensive, and reflective process to assess the institution’s educational quality and success in meeting its mission, as well as identify institutional priorities and opportunities for improvement and innovation. Through an inclusive two-to-three-year process, institutions must provide evidence and document compliance with the Commission’s standards for accreditation, requirements of affiliation, policies and procedures, and applicable federal regulatory requirements. The process also helps institutions gain insights that will serve the institution well for several years after the Self-Study Report and On-Site Evaluation Visit are completed.

MSCHE uses seven Standards for Accreditation that every institution must meet. These include:

1. 1. Mission and Goals
   2. Ethics and Integrity
   3. 3esign and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
   4. Support of the Student Experience
   5. Educational Effectiveness Assessment
   6. Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
   7. Governance, Leadership, and Administration

All colleges who want to be accredited (or re-accredited) must go through an evaluation process every eight years. BCC was last re-accredited 2019 following a two-year Self-Study process that began in 2017.

The College has identified four priorities for the Self-Study:

1. Foster student success andexpand access through improved retention and graduation rates, and increased enrollment of diverse student populations.
2. Strengthen academic programs and workforce development initiatives.
3. Enhance institutional effectiveness through streamlined student services, increased faculty and staff development, improvements in college operations, and the physical environment.
4. Elevate the student experience to foster engagement, belonging, and success.

The Self-Study process is a two-and-a-half-year process. At BCC, the process began in fall 2024 with the Self-Study Institute, attended by members of the Core Group. The process will culminate with an on-site peer evaluation visit in spring 2027. The final determination regarding our re-accreditation status will be made by a vote of Commissioners of MSCHE in June 2027. Please refer to the timeline for key milestones.

You may contact the Self-Study co-chairs: Sahidha Odige or Seher Atamtuktur.

All members of the college community may be involved in the process: administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and community members. However, the Self-Study Steering Committee and Working Groups will be responsible for developing the College’s Self-Study report.

Yes, students are encouraged to become involved in the process by becoming members of the seven Working Groups. Students will also have the opportunity to comment on the Self-Study draft when it is completed in fall 2026.

Beyond meeting accreditation requirements, the Self-Study is an opportunity for reflection and improvement. It allows us to celebrate our achievements, identify areas for growth, align planning with our mission, and strengthen the student and employee experience across the institution.

During the three-day on-site evaluation visit, a team of eight evaluators will be responsible for interviewing key stakeholder groups. The visiting team is responsible for verifying that the information contained in the Self-Study is accurate and for ensuring that we are meeting the Standards set forth by MSCHE. Before and during their visit, team members may request additional evidence beyond that provided to them in the Self-Study report. All members of the community are expected to be available during the visit.

The evaluation team assesses whether the College is in compliance with the MSCHE Standards and Requirements of Affiliation. They review the evidence presented in the Self-Study, ask questions, tour facilities, and speak with stakeholders to confirm that the institution meets the standards of accreditation.

When the Self-Study is completed, it is reviewed by the President and the Cabinet. After final edits are made, the report is submitted to Middle States and shared with members of the evaluation team who will visit the college in spring 2027. The final Self-Study is typically made available to evaluators six weeks before the visit.

Please refer to this website for updates and documents related to Self-Study. The Steering Committee and Working Groups will be uploading documents and other materials as the work on the Self-Study in the Teams site set up for this purpose.

Yes, members of the College community will have the opportunity to comment on the draft Self-Study in fall 2026. The final Self-Study report will be made available to the community in early spring 2027.

Members of the college community can contribute by participating in Working Groups, attending feedback sessions, reviewing drafts of the Self-Study, responding to surveys, and attending town halls or forums. Your input helps ensure the report reflects the lived experience of our students, faculty, and staff.

At the conclusion of their visit, the Evaluation team drafts a report which is eventually submitted to the Commission for action (the team does not make the official determination). In this report, the team may make recommendations for improvement if they believe the college is in danger of not being in compliance with one or more standards. A more serious outcome is when the team issues a Requirement, which means that the team found the college to be out of compliance with one or more standards. In either case, the College will receive guidance on how to resolve any concerns, which could result in the need to submit a follow-up report. The aim is continuous improvement, not punishment. The process is supportive and formative.