Middle States Accreditation
Middle States Accreditation
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is an institutional accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) that serves as an independent voice in higher education. MSCHE establishes equitable standards for accreditation with member institutions that advance the impact of accreditation in the ever-changing landscape of higher education and promotes educational excellence through innovation across diverse institutions.
As an institutional accreditor, MSCHE requires evaluation of all aspects of the institution holistically, including modality of instruction, and everything done in the name of the institution, including all academic programs and services, fall within their scope of accreditation.
MSCHE is proud of the role it serves in verifying the quality of higher education through peer review, assessment, and evaluation. MSCHE is an active partner in quality assurance through its service as a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association for institutions of higher education throughout the United States as well as globally. MSCHE is accountable to those it serves, including institutions, states and federal government, and the public. The MSCHE staff, Commissioners, and peer evaluators understand the important role, responsibility, and reach of accreditation, and we take it seriously.
Standards of Accreditation
In 2014-15, during HCC’s most recent accreditation review, Middle States required institutions like HCC to demonstrate excellence in 14 Standards for accreditation. Since then, Middle States has revised its accreditation process and now evaluates institutions on seven (7) Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation.
Accreditation Cycle & Timeline
The Commission maintains an 8-year cycle of review, beginning with a self-study and on-site evaluation visit; HCC’s scheduled accreditation will take place during the 2024-25 academic year.
HCC's Middle States Self-Study 2023-2025
HCC’s final Self-Study reflects the collaborative work of the Steering Committee and Working Groups throughout the three-year self-study process, leading up to the Team Visit in Spring 2025.
Communications Timeline
Spring 2023 →
- Board of Trustees
- Monthly Updates
- College Employees
- Institutional Priorities and Work Group Participation Survey, February 2023
- Online Resources Opened (Teams sites, PIE Request Form, Website)
- Students
- Institutional Priorities Survey, February 2023
- Workgroup Members
- Kick-Off Event, May 2023
Summer 2023 →
- Board of Trustees
- Monthly Updates
- College Employees
- Website Updates
- Workgroup Members
- Meetings
- Teams Site
Fall 2023 →
- Board of Trustees
- Monthly Updates
- College Employees
- Colloquium Presentation
- Website Updates
- Updates at staff, faculty, and administrative unit meetings
- Students
- Updates at SGA meetings
- Workgroup Members
- Meetings
- Teams Site
Spring 2024 →
- Alumni & Community
- Social Media Update, April 2024
- Board of Trustees
- Monthly Updates
- College Employees
- Colloquium Presentation Social Media Update, April 2024
- Website Updates
- Updates at staff, faculty, and administrative unit meetings
- Students
- Social Media Update, April 2024
- Updates at SGA meetings
- Workgroup Members
- Meetings
- Teams Site
Summer 2024 →
- Board of Trustees
- Monthly Updates
- College Employees
- Website Updates
- Updates at staff, faculty, and administrative unit meetings
Fall 2024 →
- Alumni & Community
- Open Forum, October 2024
- Social Media Updates and Newsletter Features, October & December 2024
- Board of Trustees
- Monthly Updates
- College Employees
- Workshop Week Session, August 2024
- Open Forum, October 2024
- Website Updates
- Updates at staff, faculty, and administrative unit meetings
- Students
- Open Forum, October 2024
- PTK Meetings Presentation, October 2024
- Social Media Updates, October & December 2024
- Updates at SGA meetings
- Workgroup Members
- Teams Site
- Draft Feedback Survey
Spring 2025
- Board of Trustees
- Monthly Updates
- College Employees
- Email Update, January 2025
- Website Updates
- Updates at staff, faculty, and administrative unit meetings
- Students
- Email Update, March 2025
- Updates at SGA meetings
HCC's Middle States Self-Study 2014-2015
All assessments for accreditation are conducted using the MSCHE (Middle States) standards.
Key Areas of Interest
- Campus Directory
An online directory of HCC staff and faculty. - College Catalog
Access new and archived catalogs. (Standard 3) - Faculty & Staff
In addition to internal documents and forms, this page provides access to campus departments where staff can access staff-only information including guidelines and procedures, as well as internal newsletters for employees. - Institutional Learning Outcomes
Information about institutional learning outcomes for student activities and other areas. (Standard 5) - Outcomes Assessment
This page provides access to Course Outcomes Guides (COGs), Master Syllabi, Program Outcomes Guides (POGs) , and General Education Student Learning Outcomes for faculty and staff. (Standard 5) - Public Disclosure
In accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act and Middle States regulations, this page provides prospective and current students, as well as the general public, with a variety of academic, institutional, and financial assistance information. (Standard 2)