Delaware Tech accreditation reaffirmed
Delaware Technical Community College’s accreditation has been reaffirmed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education with commendations for the quality of the self-study process. This is a significant achievement as federal regulations for increased accountability in education have resulted in the commission more closely examining standards related to student learning, assessment and institutional outcomes.
The decennial reaccreditation process, conducted by MSCHE, is a 10-year cycle of review that includes the submission of an in-depth self-study report and an on-site evaluation team visit that included college presidents, vice presidents, faculty and staff of regional peer colleges and institutions.
The self-study process provided Delaware Tech with the opportunity to reflect, explore and analyze how well it is meeting MSCHE’s 14 standards for accreditation in relation to the college’s mission, and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to continual improvement.
“The reaffirmation of Delaware Tech’s accreditation, with commendations from the Middle States Commission on the quality of our self-study process, confirms that the college is an institution of excellence focused on high-quality instruction and student success,” said Dr. Orlando J. George Jr., president of Delaware Tech. “This reaccreditation also proves that the college continues to fulfill its mission and is well positioned to continue to provide access, opportunity, excellence and hope to Delawareans to better their lives through education.”
Hundreds of Delaware Tech faculty, staff and administrators participated in the in-depth review at all four campus locations. Evaluation of the college’s programs, services, finances and operations took more than two years and resulted in a 100-page comprehensive self-study report for each campus, with additional documents containing evidence and resources.
Upon submission of the self-study report, Dr. James Sunser, president of Genesee Community College in New York, led a team of reviewers from several peer community colleges on a three-day intensive visit that included meetings, discussion and document review.
Other than the standard five-year Periodic Review Report due Nov. 1, 2018, Delaware Tech has no requirements for further action related to this reaccreditation. The college is in a select group, as only 29 percent of the MSCHE institutions most recently reaffirmed through the self-study process had no follow-up actions required.
George said, “The college presented its self-study in a highly factual, honest, and complete manner and embraced this process as an opportunity for continual improvement. It is clear from the excellent feedback received from the Middle States Commission and the evaluation team that our approach was commendable; they were very complimentary of the college."
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits postsecondary, degree-granting institutions, including colleges, universities, military academies and religious seminaries located in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
