2009 Accreditation 

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."
From Middle States Commission of Higher Education website:  http://www.msche.org

Why is accreditation important?

Accreditation means that standards of quality and excellence have been met.  The standards of excellence for universities accredited by the Middle States Commission of Higher Education span topics such as quality faculty, quality programs, sound fiscal planning and processes, the assessment of processes especially learning, and integrity. 

What does Shippensburg's re-accreditation mean to students?

 The continued assurance of:

• the quality of classes and programs
• the quality of faculty, administrators and staff
• the quality of support services
• the value of a Shippensburg diploma
• access to federal financial aid

What is Middle States?

"The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is the unit of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities in the Middle States region, which includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and several locations internationally.
The Commission is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership 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." 
 From Middle States Commission of Higher Education website:  http://www.msche.org/