Accreditation
Garrett College is a public, two-year institution that is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
- The most recent Statement of Accreditation Status can be found here
- The College's Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic Training is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education - Self-Study Process and Design
Garrett College is preparing its 10 year self-study report for the Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE or Middles States). This report is critical to the future of Garrett College. Going forward the self-study will occur every 8 years with a Mid-Point Peer Review, or MPPR, of the accumulated financial data, student achievement data and responses to Commission recommendations (if requested) submitted by institutions through a series of Annual Institutional Updates (AIU).
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The self-study will evaluate how well:
- our programs and services accomplish our institutional priorities;
- we fulfill our mission; and
- we meet the MSCHE's standards.
The self-study process began in 2018 and will culminate with an on-site visit of the MSCHE evaluation team in early Spring 2020. The evaluation team will be made up of community college peers from outside the state who will review the findings and recommendations of our self-study report. The evaluation team will then make a recommendation to MSCHE on our accreditation status.
Purpose of the self-study
- to advance institutional self-understanding and self-improvement
- to demonstrate to external audiences, such as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, government regulatory agencies, and the public, that the institution meets the standards for accreditation
- to maintain eligibility to receive federal financial aid.
Middle States FAQ
What is MSCHE? The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Council on Higher Education recognize MSCHE as one of six regional accreditation authorities. MSCHE accredits institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. MSCHE is "a voluntary, non-governmental association that defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations, and resources. It examines each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within institutions" (www.msche.org).
What is accreditation? Accreditation is the process through which an external agency examines an institution and determines whether it meets established requirements and standards. Institutions participate voluntarily. Accreditation is important for our students because federal student aid is available only to students enrolled in accredited institutions.
What is re-accreditation? Every ten years MSCHE mandates that its member institutions undergo a rigorous self-study process and write an extensive report on that process. This report is the foundational document for the MSCHE evaluation team's onsite visit.
What is a self-study report? A self-study report is a comprehensive review of a college's educational programs, institutional policies, and student services. It is conducted by the college. It determines how well a college meets its own mission and strategic goals, as measured against MSCHE's seven standards of accreditation and fifteen requirements of affiliation.
How Does the College Do the Self Study? The college prepares a Design Document, which is the blueprint for the self-study. The Design Document includes goals for the self-study, questions that guide the research undertaken, documents that need be collected to address this research, institutional priorities, and a timetable for the self-study process.
Garrett College Self-Study Steering Committee
- Kelli Sisler (Staff Co-Chair)
- Christa Bowser (Faculty Co-Chair)
- Jim Allen (Accreditation Liaison Officer, Advisor, and Lead Writer)
- Andrew Harvey*
- Stacy Miller
- Kym Newmann
- Julie Yoder
- Qing Yuan
- Marcia Knepp
Self-study working groups
Following are the members of Garrett College's Self-Study Working Groups:
Standard I: Mission and Goals
- Ashley Ruby, (Chair), Director of Advising & Academic Success
- Sarah Friend, Coordinator of Operations, CEWD
- David Erbe, Assistant Professor of Adventure Sports
- Steve Putnam, Director of the Community Aquatic & Recreation Complex
- Christine Upole, Enrollment Management & Marketing Assistant
Standard II: Ethics and Integrity
- Kim DeGiovanni, (Chair), Registrar
- Kearstin Hinebaugh, Coordinator of Grants & Special Funds
- Dr. Jeff Reitz, Professor of Mathematics
- Pam Warnick, Assistant Director of Financial Aid
- Chad Yoder, Graphic Designer
Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
- Pramod Kapoor, (Chair) – Professor of Business
- Lucy Manley, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
- Dr. Greg Jenkins, Professor of English
- Tim Foster, Professor of Mathematics
- Jack DuBose, Professor of English
- Ron Skidmore, Professor of Art
- Paul Rached, Assistant Professor of Engineering
Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience
- Robert Kerns, J.D. (Chair), Dean of Student Affairs
- Mike Tumbarello, Director of Enrollment Management
- Rich Schofield, Director of Student Life
- Jennifer Meslener, Instructional Librarian
- Dr. Michelle Lieberman, Associate Professor of Sociology
- Melissa Wass, Coordinator of Admissions
- Keela Pfaff, Student Records Specialist
Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment
- Mike Logsdon, (Chair), Director of Adventure Sports
- Dr. John Taylor, Assistant Professor of Education
- Linda Griffith, Professor of Science
- Carolyn Deniker, Professor of Biology
- Kaitlyn Fike, Coordinator of Workforce Development
- Dr. Terry Kasecamp, Professor of Psychology
- Fred Stemple, Coordinator of Distance Learning & Instructional Design
Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
- Jeanne Meyers, (Chair), Coordinator of Academic Affairs
- Kathy Meagher, Director of Campus Facilities
- Dallas Ouellette, Director of Business & Finance
- Andrew Durst, EIS Administrator
- Janis Bush, Director of Human Resources
- Rich Lewis, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
- Carrie Hackett, Accounts Receivable Manager
Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration
- Shelley Menear, (Chair), Coordinator of Safety, Security, and Compliance
- Kim Windstein Harsch, Athletic Trainer/Director of Physical Education Programming
- Maney Gale, Coordinator of Operations and Programs, CARC
- Trisha Mayles, Senior Accountant
- Anna James, Assistant Professor of English
- Dr. Brenda McCartney, Garrett College Board of Trustees
Note: asterisk (*) denotes Garrett College alumni
