Accreditation and Reaffirmation
As part of its accreditation review cycle, the University of the District of Columbia is deeply engaged in its Self-Study evaluation process, in anticipation of a peer evaluator site visit in Spring 2025. Accreditation serves to validate UDC’s academic quality, ensure continuous improvements, and uphold public accountability. This comprehensive evaluation encompasses all facets of the university’s mission and its effectiveness as an institution of higher education.
While UDC is already accredited, we are required to reaffirm our accreditation every eight years. Preparing for our next reaffirmation site visit in early 2025 involves over two years of groundwork, including the comprehensive institutional Self-Study report and supporting evidence.
Our accrediting body is the Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE), or simply “Middle States.” Middle States will evaluate UDC based on seven Standards of Accreditation, fourteen Requirements of Affiliation, and several federal and state-level compliance areas. Each of the Standards includes specific criteria that must be met and will be assessed by the Middle States team.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education operates as a voluntary, non-governmental membership association committed to ensuring quality assurance and enhancement through peer evaluation and accreditation. By upholding rigorous accreditation standards and enforcing them, Middle States fosters public confidence in an institution’s mission, goals, performance, and resources. Once an institution is initially accredited by the Middle States, it then engages in an ongoing eight-year cycle of review to retain its accredited status. This cycle includes regular reporting of the Annual Institutional Update, responses to any Middle States inquiries or policy revisions, and substantive change reports to reflect any major modifications to institutional operations, governance structure, or locations. The major review process completed every eight years is known as the Institutional Self-Study. UDC leverages the Self-Study as an opportunity to involve faculty, staff, administration, and other stakeholders in an in-depth analysis of the University’s strengths and areas for improvement. The three main outcomes of a successful Self-Study site visit are: 1) An inclusive campus process, 2) Demonstration of continuous improvement, and 3) Reaffirmation.
The Self-Study process is a substantial undertaking, typically spanning two years from initiation to completion. The process reaches its pinnacle with a three-day on-campus visit from a team of external peer evaluators. During this visit, the evaluation team engages with administration, faculty, staff, students, and members of the Board of Trustees. They review materials and reports gathered throughout the Self-Study process. Following the three-day visit, the team provides a recommendation to the Commission regarding the university’s accreditation status.