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Middle States Commission on Higher Education

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Middle States Commission on Higher Education
AbbreviationMSCHE
Formation1887
Legal statusAssociation
PurposeHigher education accreditation in the United States
HeadquartersWilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Region served
Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and international locations
Board President
Heather F. Perfetti
AffiliationsCHEA and ED
Websitewww.msche.org

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, abbreviated as MSCHE and legally incorporated as the Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education, is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit membership organization that performs peer evaluation and accreditation of public and private universities and colleges in the United States and foreign higher education institutions. Its headquarters are in Wilmington, Delaware.[1]

Until federal regulations changed in July 2020, it was considered one of the seven regional accreditation organizations dating back 130 years. The commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. It accredits nearly 600 institutions, primarily in Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Region and scope

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The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is recognized by the U.S. Department Education to accredit degree-granting institutions. Its traditional region includes the U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and Washington, D.C. and the American territories and commonwealths of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands that wish to participate in Federal "Title IV" student loan programs.[2][3] The commission conducts business in 48 states; the two exceptions are Montana and North Dakota, two U.S. territories, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C.. It operates in 94 countries.

History

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MSCHE grew out of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), an organization established in 1887 to improve education using evaluation and accreditation. MSCHE itself was established in 1919 and was one of three commissions of MSA until 2013 when MSCHE incorporated as a separate entity in Pennsylvania as the Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education doing business as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.[4] On July 1, 2019, MSCHE withdrew from MSA completely.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Contact. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Retrieved on July 5, 2019. "3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104"
  2. ^ "College Accreditation in the United States - Pg. 6". U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  3. ^ "Newsletter June 2010". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  4. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions About the Middle States Association and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  5. ^ "1919–2019: The 100-Year History of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
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