Welcome to City College's Middle States Re-accreditation web site.  This site is intended to be a resource to keep you informed of our progress in the College's re-accreditation efforts.  We hope you find it valuable and we welcome your comments for changes and additions.

*What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is a process of peer review that the educational community has adopted for its self-regulation since early in the 20th century. It is a voluntary process intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. Institutions choose to apply for accredited status, and once accredited, they agree to abide by the standards of their accrediting organization and to regulate themselves by taking responsibility for their own improvement.  

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) aspires to be the preeminent resource for institutions of higher education striving to achieve excellence in fulfilling their missions. It also intends, through voluntary assessment and adherence to high standards for student learning outcomes and operational behavior, to assure higher education’s publics that its accredited institutions are fulfilling their stated purposes and addressing the publics’ expectations.

The MSCHE is guided by these Core Values:

• Voluntary membership
  
• Self-regulation and peer-review
  
• A continuous and seamless relationship with member institutions to promote continuous self-evaluation and institutional improvement
  
• Respect for the unique mission of each institution and evaluation within that context
  
• Student learning and effective teaching
  
• Transparency about the accreditation processes and the status held by each member institution
  
• Commitment to the principles of cooperation, flexibility, and openness
  
• Responsiveness to the needs of the higher education community and societal changes
  
• Consideration of societal and institutional needs through attention to and emphasis on both improvement and compliance
  
• Responsiveness to a diverse, dynamic, global higher education community that is continually evolving