Middle States

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Self-Study Evaluation Report and Team Visit March 21-23, 2022
• LaGuardia Community College Middle States Self-Study Report 2021-2022
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education June 2020 Self-Study Design.

LaGuardia Community College
Middle States Self-Study Visiting Team Itinerary Proposal
March 21-23, 2022

Zoom/Technical Issues:
Primary IT Support: Maritza Acero
Email address: macero@lagcc.cuny.edu
Office Number: (718) 482-6160
Mobile Number: (347) 739-5844

Backup IT Support: Siu Tin
Email address: siutin@lagcc.cuny.edu
Office Number: (718) 482-6143
Mobile Number (347) 203-9132

Zoom Meeting Protocols

• Cameras need to be on -- no exceptions.
• Joining by phone is not an option.
• Meetings will not be recorded.
• Private meetings will have restricted access.
• If you have been invited to attend a private meeting, to help the MS Visiting Team quickly recognize who you are and save time, use your CUNY log-in credentials to enter your Zoom account before the meeting begins and ensure your profile has your full name and area. For example: Bobby Dooley, English Dept.

Monday March 21

Time	Purpose /Agenda
8:00 am – 8:30 am	Meeting between President Adams and President Generals – Private, by invitation only
8:30 am – 9:00 am	Visiting Team meeting with Trustees Sandra Wilkin & Henry Berger – Private, by invitation only Trustee Sandra Wilkin Trustee Henry Berger
9:00 am – 9:45 am	Cabinet members & MS Visiting Team Check-in – Private, by invitation only
10:00 am – 10:45 am	Steering Committee & MS Visiting Team Check-in – Private, by invitation only
11:00 am – 11:45 am	Standard I / Standard II (Concurrent) – Both meetings open to all faculty and staff. Zoom Links for Standard I and Standard II: MS_ZOOM_Meetings.pdf Link will take you to CUNY login page. Use your CUNY login credentials, e.g., FirstName.LastNameXX@login.cuny.edu to access PDF with Zoom links for all public meetings. Select meeting and click on Zoom link to enter meeting. If you are prompted for a "Passcode" to enter the meeting, please enter the passcode or password that is listed for that meeting in the PDF.
11:45 am – 1:00 pm	Lunch Break
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm	Dr. Generals and Shahir Erfan, Chief Financial Officer - Private, by invitation only
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm	Standard III Meeting / Standard VI Meeting (Concurrent) – Both meetings open to all faculty and staff. Zoom Links for Standard III and Standard VI: MS_ZOOM_Meetings.pdf Link will take you to CUNY login page. Use your CUNY login credentials, e.g., FirstName.LastNameXX@login.cuny.edu to access PDF with Zoom links for all public meetings. Select meeting and click on Zoom link to enter meeting.  If you are prompted for a "Passcode" to enter the meeting, please enter the passcode or password that is listed for that meeting in the PDF.
2:00 pm – 2:45 pm	Student Group Meeting – Private, by invitation only
2:45 pm – 3:00 pm	Coffee Break /Team Check-in
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Standard IV Meeting – Meeting open to all faculty and staff. Zoom Link for Standard IV: MS_ZOOM_Meetings.pdf Link will take you to CUNY login page. Use your CUNY login credentials, e.g., FirstName.LastNameXX@login.cuny.edu to access PDF with Zoom links for all public meetings. Select meeting and click on Zoom link to enter meeting.  If you are prompted for a "Passcode" to enter the meeting, please enter the passcode or password that is listed for that meeting in the PDF.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm	Laurel Robinson – Standard III – Design and Delivery Open session with adjunct faculty CTL leaders Private, by invitation only
4:00 – 4:30 pm	David Jones - Standard I: Mission and Goals, with: Linda Mellon, Adult & Continuing Education (co-chair Standard 1) Preethi Radhakrishnan, Natural Sciences (co-chair Standard 1) Donald Webster, Marketing and Communications, Advancement Gail Baksh-Jarrett, Enrollment Management Anthony Garafola, Director of Budget & Financial Planning, Business Office Private, by invitation only
4:00 – 4:30 pm	Karen Egypt- Standard V-Educational Effectiveness and Maris Lown – Standard VII – Governance and Leadership with: Paul Arcario, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Nava Lerer, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness Private, by invitation only
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm	Visiting Team Meeting – Private, by invitation only

Tuesday March 22

Time	Purpose /Agenda
8:00 am – 8:45 am	Core Group & MS Visiting Team Check-in – Private, by invitation only.
9:00 am – 9:45 am	Meeting with Governance Leaders (Senate/Faculty Council) – Private, by invitation only
10:00 am – 10:45 am	Standard V Meeting – Meeting open to all faculty and staff. Zoom Link for Standard V: MS_ZOOM_Meetings.pdf Link will take you to CUNY login page. Use your CUNY login credentials, e.g., FirstName.LastNameXX@login.cuny.edu to access PDF with Zoom links for all public meetings. Select meeting and click on Zoom link to enter meeting. If you are prompted for a "Passcode" to enter the meeting, please enter the passcode or password that is listed for that meeting in the PDF.
11:00 am – 11:45 am	Standard VII Meeting – Meeting open to all faculty and staff. Zoom Link for Standard VII: MS_ZOOM_Meetings.pdf Link will take you to CUNY login page. Use your CUNY login credentials, e.g., FirstName.LastNameXX@login.cuny.edu to access PDF with Zoom links for all public meetings. Select meeting and click on Zoom link to enter meeting. If you are prompted for a "Passcode" to enter the meeting, please enter the passcode or password that is listed for that meeting in the PDF.
11:45 am – 1:00 pm	Lunch Break
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm	Open Meeting with Faculty & Staff – Meeting open to all faculty and staff. Zoom Link for open meeting: MS_ZOOM_Meetings.pdf Link will take you to CUNY login page. Use your CUNY login credentials, e.g., FirstName.LastNameXX@login.cuny.edu to access PDF with Zoom links for all public meetings. Select meeting and click on Zoom link to enter meeting. If you are prompted for a "Passcode" to enter the meeting, please enter the passcode or password that is listed for that meeting in the PDF.
2:00 pm – 2:45 pm	The Union Chapter Leaders & Visiting Team Check-in – Private, by invitation only.
2:45 pm – 3:00 pm	Coffee Break /Team Check-in
3:15 pm – 4:00 pm	Meeting with Department Chairpersons – Private, by invitation only.
4:00 – 6:00 pm	Visiting Team Meeting – Private, by invitation only

Wednesday March 23

Time	Purpose /Agenda
9:00 am – 9:45 am	Meeting between President Adams and President Generals – Private, by invitation only
10:00 am – 10:45 am	MS Evaluation Team oral report to the community – Open to all faculty & staff. Zoom Link for Oral report to the community: MS_ZOOM_Meetings.pdf Link will take you to CUNY login page. Use your CUNY login credentials, e.g., FirstName.LastNameXX@login.cuny.edu to access PDF with Zoom links for all public meetings. Select meeting and click on Zoom link to enter meeting. If you are prompted for a "Passcode" to enter the meeting, please enter the passcode or password that is listed for that meeting in the PDF.

The virtual Middle States Evaluation Team Site Visit will occur from Monday, March 21 to Wednesday, March 23. The purpose of the visit is to determine LaGuardia’s compliance with the Middle States Standards and Requirements of Affiliation. It is a high-stakes event that represents the culmination of our three-year Self-Study.

Team members will meet with faculty, students, staff, administrators, trustees, and other members of the campus community to confirm and clarify the information provided in the Self-Study Report and to gather additional perspectives, and in some cases, additional information that was not available to them prior to the visit.

Since all faulty, staff and students are on stand-by during the site visit, this section has been developed to help us get ready and be at our best. Please refer to all of the information below and start preparing now. If you have questions or need additional help, please contact MiddleStatesSelfStudy@lagcc.cuny.edu.

• Middle States Evaluation Team Site Visit Dates, Schedule, Purpose and Description
• Preparation Strategy
• Preparation Approaches and Resources
• Table of Recommendations, Strengths, Challenges and Key Evidence
• The Self-Study Executive Summary
• The Self-Study Introduction
• Guide Document (All information above in one document)
• Addressing Equity and Inclusion
• A Report on the impact of the Pandemic on Student Outcomes: December 2021 (This document and other studies can be found In the IE website under evaluation studies and In the OIRA website under the Analytical Studies and Research tab, Institutional Assessment section.)

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Self-Study Steering Committee Charge

Steering Committee Charge. Provide essential leadership for the MSCHE Self-Study during the three-year process.

Steering Committee Composition.The Self-Study Co-Chairs are the directors of the Steering Committee, which will consist of approximately 20 members, and report to the President, Senior Vice President and Board of Trustees. The Steering Committee is composed of the Standards Co-Chairs, the Communications Group, the Compliance Group, and ad-hoc members of the College. Each Standard has two Co-Chairs, typically one faculty and one staff member (14 in all). They will work closely with the Communications Group and Compliance Group.

Steering Committee members will work with personnel that are both established and rising leaders at the College. They will be in charge of managing strategies and processes related to building and retaining an exceptional Working Group team. They act as advisors and consultants—but must also be able to roll up their sleeves and execute solutions. Members of the Steering Committee will work with the Co-Chairs to develop a well-defined Self-Study culture. They will ensure that the College’s values are reinforced with every initiative and communication.

Steering Committee Responsibilities

• Examine priorities. Collaborate with Co-Chairs and Steering Committee Members to determine how Strategic Priorities will be studied. Work with institutional leadership to demonstrate the achievement of the five strategic plan priorities to be addressed in the Self-Study.
• Support Self-Study design. Understand the Self-Study goals and process, and support Self-Study design, including Documentation Roadmap.
• Lead Working Groups and problem solve. Charge, support and oversee the Working Groups, including coordinating their research and work, supporting different roles, and apprising the Co-Chairs of any issues.
• Manage timeline. Ensure the timely implementation of Self-Study milestones, as planned.
• Organize communications. Collaborate and facilitate communications within the College about the Self-Study process and the Working Group. Support the Communications Plan to effectively communicate within the College.
• Collect evidence. Ensure that evidence collected by Working Group members is researched, organized and accessible.
• Write, review and revise. Support the College wide review of evidence and Self-Study drafts. Generate chapter drafts from Working Groups for review and revision with Co-Chairs. Review interim reports that will be used to write the final Self-Study Report. Ensure that institutional priorities are addressed in the Working Groups’ analysis.
• Prepare and present. Identify the most important opportunities for improvement and innovation that will be included in the final Self-Study Report. Arrange for institution-wide review of and response to a draft of the Self-Study Report. Oversee the completion of the final Self-Study Report, including the refinement of the Evidence Inventory and completion of the Verification of Compliance materials. Participate in Middle States site visits and support public presentations of the Self-Study in the College and community.

Steering Committee Outcomes. The Steering Committee will help customize the Self-Study to create the intended outcomes of LaGuardia’s Self-Study process that go beyond meeting Standards for Accreditation, focusing on continuous improvement in the College’s Mission and strategic priorities, and engaging the institutional community in an inclusive and transparent self-appraisal process.

These outcomes might include:

• Advancing multi-level communication throughout the College to improve the circulation of assessment, data, and narrative of strategic goals and accomplishments;
• Integrating the Self-Study process into the College’s assessment of Institutional Effectiveness and corresponding actions;
• Consulting with community stakeholders to identify areas of opportunity to grow with Long Island City.

An institution of higher education is a community dedicated to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, to the study and clarification of values, and to the advancement of the society it serves. To support these goals, institutions of higher education within the Middle States region joined together in 1919 to form the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, a professional association devoted to educational improvement through accreditation. Today’s success or organization for higher education accreditation is the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Accreditation is the means of self-regulation and peer review adopted by the educational community. The accrediting process is intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence and minimizing the scope of external control. The extent to which each educational institution accepts and fulfills the responsibilities inherent in the process is a measure of its concern for freedom and quality in higher education and its commitment to striving for and achieving excellence in its endeavors.

Middle States’ accreditation is an expression of confidence in an institution’s mission and goals, its performance, and its resources. Based upon the results of institutional review by peers and colleagues assigned by the Commission, accreditation attests to the judgment of the Commission on Higher Education that an institution has met the following criteria:

• that it has a mission appropriate to higher education;
• that it is guided by well-defined and appropriate goals, including goals for student learning;
• that it has established conditions and procedures under which its mission and goals can be realized;
• that it assesses both institutional effectiveness and student learning outcomes, and uses the results for improvement;
• that it is accomplishing its mission and goals substantially;
• that it is organized, staffed, and supported so that it can be expected to continue to accomplish its mission and goals; and
• that it meets the eligibility requirements and standards of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Membership in the Middle States Association follows a period of candidacy lasting up to five years. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education reviews institutions periodically through either on-site evaluation or other reports. Accreditation is continued only as a result of periodic reviews and evaluations through assessments of institutional achievements.

"Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education, Eligibility Requirements and Standards for Accreditation", Middle States Commission on Higher Education. 

• Strategic Plan & Priorities
• 2019-2024 Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives
• 2019-2024 Strategic Plan: Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Measures

General Structure

Core Group:

Members and Affiliation of the Middle States Steering Committee

Nava Lerer, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness	Core Group/Accreditation Liaison Officer
Robert Jaffe, Chief of Staff to the President	Core Group
Reem Jaafar, Professor, Math, Engineering & Computer Science	Core group, Steering Committee co-chair
Justin Rogers-Cooper, Professor, English	Core Group, Steering Committee Co-chair
Linda Mellon, Senior Director, Business Services, Division of Adult & Continuing Education	Standard I Co-chair
Preethi Radhakrishnan, Professor, Natural Sciences	Standard I co-chair
Lara Kattekola, Associate Professor, English	Standard II co-chair
Jeanne Funk, Professor, Math, Engineering & Computer Science	Standard II co-chair
Elizabeth Iannotti, Senior Director of ESOL Programming, Division of Adult & Continuing Education	Standard III co-chair
Demetri Kapetanakos, Professor, English	Standard III co-chair
Ellen Quish, Director of First Year Programming and Student Success, Division of Academic Affairs	Standard IV co-chair
Lanaia DuBose, Confidential Executive Officer, Division of Adult & Continuing Education	Standard IV co-chair
Marisa Klages-Bombich, Professor, English	Standard V co-chair
Regina Lehman, Professor, Health Sciences	Standard V co-chair
Nicole Maguire, Lecturer, Business & Technology	Standard VI co-chair
Anthony Garafola, Director of Budget & Financial Planning, Business Office	Standard VI co-chair
Rajendra Bhika, Professor, Business & Technology	Standard VII co-chair
Fay Butler, Administrative Executive Officer, Student Affairs, Division of Student Affairs	Standard VII co-chair
Gail Baksh-Jarrett, Financial Aid Office, Division of Student Affairs	Compliance Group/ Working Group VIII
Burhan Siddiqui, Higher Education Officer, Division of Academic Affairs	Compliance Group / Working Group VIII
Juan Genao, Project Manager, Division of Information Technology	Communication Team
Charles Elias, Communication Officer for Information Technology, Division of Information Technology	Communication Team
Ann Matsuuchi, Instructional Technology Librarian & Professor	Evidence Inventory Team

Standard I: Mission and Goals Members

Linda Mellon, Adult & Continuing Education (co-chair)	Preethi Radhakrishnan, Natural Sciences (co-chair)
Debra Engel, Health Sciences	Edward Goodman, Business and Technology
Michelle Castro, Accelerated Studies in Associate Programs	Rochell Isaac, English
Ian Alberts, Natural Sciences	Praveen Khethavath, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science
Cory Feldman, Social Science	Elizabeth Anderson, College Discovery
Mercedes Flor, Early Childhood Learning Center Programs	John Parssinen, Grants Office, Division of Adult and Continuing Education
Howard Motoike, Natural Sciences	Yves Ngabonziza, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science
Benjamin Taylor, Natural Sciences	Anita Baksh, English
Donald Webster, Marketing and Communications, Division of Institutional Advancement	Student member: Christie Laurent, christie.laurent@live.lagcc.cuny.edu

Standard II: Ethics and Integrity Members

Lara Kattekola, English (co-chair)	Jeanne Funk, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science (co-chair)
Clarence Chan, Health Sciences	Xin Gao, Natural Sciences
Ian McDermott, Library	John Toland, Natural Sciences
Damaris J. Dorta, Division of Adult and Continuing Education	Sherouk Alzeory, Natural Sciences
Wendy Nicholson, Student Placement Services	Shannon Proctor, Humanities
Lucy McNair, English	Sarada Rauch, Assistant Professor, Humanities
Michael Alifanz, Chief Laboratory Technician, Humanities	Schafer, Jason Assistant Professor, Humanities
Karamvir Kaur, Human Resources

Standard III: Design and Delivery of Student Learning Experience Members

Elizabeth Iannotti, Division of Adult and Continuing Education (co-chair)	Demetri Kapetanakos, English (co-chair)
Leigh Garrison-Fletcher, Education and Language Acquisition	Deema Bayrakdar, Women’s Center and LGBTQIA Safe Zone Hub
Ece Aykol, English	Tomonori Nagano, Education and Language Acquisition
Juline Koken, Health Sciences	Kevin Mark, Natural Sciences
Jazmine Freire, Health Sciences	Olivia Mayer, Pre-College Academic Programming, Division of Adult and Continuing Education
Magdalena Kieliszek, The English Language Center, Division of Adult & Continuing Education	Shakira Whitley, Student Advising Services
Alaa Darabseh, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science	Jennifer Arroyo, Business and Technology
Bukurie Gjoci, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science	Nereida Rama, Accelerated Studies in Associate Programs
Niki Jones, Division of Academic Affairs	Jenny Lugo, Accelerated Studies in Associate Programs
Filip Stabrowski, Social Science	Student member: Gurleen Kaur ( gurleen.kaur2@live.lagcc.cuny.edu or Gkaur@lagcc.cuny.edu)

Standard IV: Support of Student Experience Members

Ellen Quish, Academic Affairs (co-chair)	Lanaia DuBose, Division of Adult & Continuing Education (co-chair)
Leah Richards, English	Hassan El Houari, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science
Jhony Nelson, Office of Students with Disability	Jason Weinstein, Career Development, Division of Adult & Continuing Education
May Tom, Health Sciences	Carolyn Nobles, Career Development, Division of Adult & Continuing Education
Doyel Pal, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science	Silvia Lin Hanick, Library
Alejandro Lopez, Student Engagement	Priscilla Stadler, Center for teaching and Learning
Jarrod San Angel, Student Advising Services	Sylwia Prendable, English
Julianne Salazar, College Discovery	Karla Chinchilla, Health Sciences (Alumni)
Student: Vince Pamolarco ( vince.pamolarco@live.lagcc.cuny.edu)

Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment Members

Marisa Klages-Bombich, English (co-chair)	Regina Lehman, Health Sciences (co-chair)
Amit Aggarwal, Natural Sciences	Richa Gupta, Natural Sciences
Michele deGoeas-Malone, Education and Language Acquisition	William Fulton, Humanities
Emad Nassar, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment	Mahdi Majidi-Zolbanin, Math, Engineering, and Computer Science
Marsha Oropeza, Division of Academic Affairs	Rejitha Nair, Division of Academic Affairs
Cheri Carr, Humanities	Allia Abdullah-Matta, English
Olga Calderon, Natural Sciences	Kyoko Toyama, College Discovery
Tameka Battle, Health Sciences	Faith Armstrong, Health Sciences
Robin Levenson, Assistant Professor, Humanities

Standard VI: Planning, resources and Institutional Improvement Members

Nicole Maguire, Business and Technology (co-chair)	Anthony Garafola, Business Office (co-chair)
Paul Fess, English	Nicolle Fernandes
Tuli Chatterji, English	Alexa Duque, Accelerated Studies in Associate Programs
Bonnie Brown, Human Resources Operations	Laura Bartovics, Grants Office, Division of Adult and Continuing Education
Jin Lee, Building Operations	Hannah Weinstock, Workforce Development, Division of Adult and Continuing Education
Thomas Cleary, Library	Hector Fernandez, Business and Technology
Chandana Mahadeswaraswamy, Division of Adult and Continuing Education	Karen Saca, Business Office
Karen Saca, Business Office	Jessica Zeichner-Saca, Division of Academic Affairs

Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration Members

Rajendra Bhika, Business and Technology (co-chair)	Fay Butler, Student Affairs (co-chair)
Hugo Fernandez, Humanities	Patricia Sokolski, Humanities
Sada Jaman, Business and Technology	Kyoung Kang, Division of Academic Affairs
Derek Stadler, Library	Denise Steeneck, Building Operations, Division of Administration
Charles Keyes, Library	Kathleen Karsten, Health Sciences
Cristina Bruns, English	Loretta Capuano, Student Information Center
Nancy Santangelo, Student Information Center	Neil Meyer, English
Luke Cardaio, Student Advising Services	Tara Coleman, English

Verification of Compliance Strategy
Group VIII is designated for Verification of Compliance. It consists of faculty and staff from Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. The Co-Chairs of the Group are also part of the Steering Committee.

Working Group VIII: Compliance Group

Gail Baksh-Jarrett (Steering Committee)	Financial Aid Office, Division of Student Affairs
Burhan Siddiqui (Steering Committee)	Higher Education Officer, Division of Academic Affairs
Leslie Scamacca	Associate Professor and the Director of the Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Management program, Business &Technology
Caitlin Dean	Adjunct CLT/Coordinator of the Modern Languages Lab ELA
Shinhi Han	Assistant Professor, Health Science Department
Taejong Kim	Legal Counsel/Labor Relations Manager, Legal Affairs And Labor Relations

Special advisor to the Core Group

Jeffrey Weintraub Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
Jenny Zhu, Office of Institutional Research and Assessment

Evidence Inventory

The Evidence Inventory Team consists of a Librarian and a Staff from Information Technology. The Chair of the team is also part of the Steering Committee.

Evidence Inventory Team

Ann Matsuuchi, (Steering Committee)	Instructional Technology Librarian & Professor
Jetmir Troshani	Project Manager, Division of Information Technology

Communication Team

The Communication Team serves on the Steering Committee and will assist the Core Group with all aspects of Communication during the entire Self-Study Cycle.

Juan Genao, Project Manager, Division of Information Technology	Communication Team
Charles Elias, Communication Officer for Information Technology, Division of Information Technology	Communication Team
Tonya Hendrix, Associate Professor, Natural Sciences	Student Communications Team chair

For a complete explanation of the seven standards used by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, please consult their website www.msche.org/standards.

Standard I. Mission & Goals
The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.

Standard II. Ethics & Integrity
Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.

Standard III. Design & Delivery of the Student learning Experience
An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.

Standard IV. Support of the Student Experience
Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.

Standard V. Educational Effectiveness Assessment
Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.

Standard VI. Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.

Standard VII. Governance, Leadership, & Administration
The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

The Middle States committee has been working very hard this academic year to propose changes (recommendations) that will make LaGuardia better. The Town Halls allow everyone at LaGuardia a chance to give helpful feedback on the recommendations.

Please refer to the LaGuardia Middle States Self-Study Report Recommendations Rubric designed to evaluate the potential recommendations.​

To log into the synchronous sessions, please use the ZOOM link indicated in the Synchronous ZOOM column for each standard.

To log into the asynchronous sessions, please use the standard title Yammer links indicated in the Asynchronous CUNY Office 365 Yammer column. In addition, please refer to the " How to Log Into Yammer" page which includes direct links to the asynchronous sessions and how to's for accessing Yammer through web browsers, mobile, and Teams. Video tutorials on how to log into and use Yammer are also featured on the page.

Students Only: How to Login to the Middle States Town Halls
Students must login to Zoom for all synchronous Town Halls and Yammer for all asynchronous Town Halls. Follow these instructions to join the Town Halls.

Standard and Self-Study Draft Recommendations	Synchronous ZOOM	Asynchronous CUNY Office 365 Yammer
I. Mission and Goals	Monday May 3, 2021 10:00 – 11:00 am Click for ZOOM Link	Monday May 3, 2021: 2:00 - 4:00 pm Wednesday May 5, 2021: 1:00 - 4:00 pm LAGCC MS STD I: Mission and Goals
II. Ethics and Integrity	Wednesday May 5, 2021 2:00 – 3:00 pm Click for ZOOM Link	Wednesday May 5: 3:00 - 5:00 pm Thursday May 6: 1:00 - 4:00 pm LAGCC MS STD II: Ethics and Integrity
III. Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience	Wednesday May 12, 2021 2:00 – 3:00 pm Click for ZOOM Link	Wednesday May 12: 4:00 - 5:00pm Thursday May 13: 1:00 - 3:00 pm Friday May 14: 10:00 -12:00 pm LAGCC MS STD III: Design/Delivery of Student Learning Exp
IV. Support of the Student Experience	Monday May 10, 2021 12:00 – 1:00 pm Click for ZOOM Link	Monday May 10: 1 pm - 3 pm Tuesday, May 11: 10 am - 1pm LAGCC MS STD IV: Support of the Student Experience
V. Educational Effectiveness Assessment	Monday May 17, 2021 10:00 – 11:00 am Click for ZOOM Link	Monday May 17: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Tuesday May 18: 10 -11 am and 2 - 4 pm LAGCC MS STD V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment
VI. Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement	Tuesday May 18, 2021 10:00 – 11:00 am Click for ZOOM Link	Tuesday May 18: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Wednesday May 19: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm LAGCC MS STD VI: Planning, Resources, and Inst. Imp.
VII. Governance, Leadership, and Administration	Tuesday May 25, 2021 11:00 am – 12:00 noon Click for ZOOM Link	Tuesday, May 25: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Wednesday May 26: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm LAGCC MS STD VII: Governance, Leadership, and Admin
Overview Reem Jaafar & Justin Rogers-Cooper, Middle States Steering Committee Co-Chairs Middle States Self-Study Draft, April 2021	Thursday May 27, 2021 2:15 pm Click for ZOOM Link	LAGCC MS Overview: MS Steering Committee Co-Chairs
Middle States Cafe	Thursday, June 3, 2021 2:15 pm Click for ZOOM Link

Please read the Middle States Commission policy on Complaints Involving Member and Candidate Institutions for a complete explanation of how to communicate with the Commission regarding a complaint. The Commission’s complaint procedures are created to address non-compliance with the Commission’s standards for accreditation, requirements of affiliation, policies or procedures, or the institution’s own policies or procedures. Students can also file complaints with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) by visiting their website: http://www.nysed.gov/college-university-evaluation/filing-complaint-about-college-or-university

All colleges and universities have to be "accredited," which means they need to show they are doing specific things required to receive Federal and State aid, to graduate students, and to make sure students are getting the best education possible.

LaGuardia is currently doing a Self-Study required for its re-accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Without accreditation, we cannot exist as a College.

You are at the heart of our mission, and we need your voice for self-assessment and self-improvement. With your help, together we can make a difference for all LaGuardia students. We know you are all busy, but your experience at LaGuardia matters a lot to us, and we would really appreciate you joining us to help study the College for accreditation.

Since the start of the process, members of the working groups, including students, have conducted research and determined few issues that may eventually translate into a recommendation for the College to act upon. Those recommendations need to be reviewed by members of the community during virtual town halls, including students, and we need you to help us determine which ones you think the College should undertake.

As a student, you are in a unique position to reflect on your experience, and how the College could improve in certain areas. There are seven standards or areas listed in “The Middle States Standards” on this page. Please take a look and decide which one(s) may be of interest to you.

At the bottom of the page, you will find a link to sign up to participate in the process and town halls. If you choose to do so, we will reach out to you with relevant information.

For more information about Middle States, visit the other sections of this website. For ways you can participate, take a look at the “Ways that you can participate" on this page.

Middle States evaluates colleges in eight areas that are called standards. Below are short descriptions of each standard.
(As a student, you may be especially interested in Standard III and Standard IV.)

• Standard I. Mission & Goals
  Engage in active inquiry, to demonstrate how LaGuardia lives and achieves its Mission within the framework of Higher Education, to assess how the Mission guides our Strategic Plan Priorities, and to describe how the College works across divisions, and how it engages with the surrounding community
  
  
• Standard II. Ethics & Integrity
  Investigate, fairly and impartially, LaGuardia’s commitment to ethics and integrity in guiding and fulfilling the Mission of the College, and how its internal and external activities reflect the Mission. The inquiry will be conducted in an inclusive and honest spirit in collaboration with other Self-Study Working Groups. The Working Group’s collection of different points of view will incorporate universal design principles to maximize accessibility, and their suggestions for improvement will utilize measurable evidence.
  
  
• Standard III. Design & Delivery of the Student learning Experience
  Examine how LaGuardia’s programs demonstrate the College’s commitment to providing a learning experience characterized by rigor and academic excellence irrespective of instructional modality. The group will review the institutional structures, policies, and procedures in place to assess academic programs, student learning, and teaching effectiveness. It will evaluate the structures available to support both student learning and faculty teaching, professional growth, and scholarly research, including resources, services, and facilities.
  
  
• Standard IV. Support of the Student Experience
  Determine how LaGuardia provides student experiences congruent with its Mission and educational offerings. The group will assess how LaGuardia is committed to enriching the student experience through its Strategic Priorities, and to sustaining a coherent support system with engaged and qualified faculty and staff. The group will examine programs, services and opportunities aimed at increasing retention, graduation and success, and provide solution seeking approaches to policies that may hinder student success.
  
  
• Standard V. Educational Effectiveness Assessment
  Demonstrate that the College uses its assessments of student learning to share how effectively academic programs meet their goals through demonstrated rigor and coherence. The Group will illustrate how the College shares its assessments of student learning with the community and will describe how academic programs meet their learning goals through continuous assessment practices and processes.
  
  
• Standard VI. Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
  Determine how well LaGuardia’s planning processes, resource allocations, and structures are aligned with one another and with the College’s Mission and goals. In addition, the Group will evaluate LaGuardia’s institutional ability through well defined, systematic, and sustainable assessment to continuously improve its planning processes and allocation of resources through analysis of Mission critical areas and Strategic Priorities.
  
  
• Standard VII. Governance, Leadership, & Administration
  Demonstrate that the College is governed and administered within a clearly articulated and transparent governance structure in a manner that allows it to realize its stated Mission and Strategic Priorities. Operating as part of the City University of New York System, LaGuardia focuses on educating its students with appropriate autonomy.

1. What is re-accreditation?
   Accreditation is the means of self-regulation and peer review adopted by the educational community. The accrediting process is intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence and minimizing the scope of external control. Re-accreditation occurs when a college or university performs a new Self-Study to maintain its previous status as an accredited institution. LaGuardia undergoes the re-accreditation process every eight years to continue its status as an accredited institution.
   
   
2. Who re-accredits LaGuardia?
   The Middle States Commission on Higher Education ( MSCHE).
   
   
3. What happens if LaGuardia loses accreditation?
   Without accreditation, we cannot exist as a College. That means students that attend LaGuardia would not be eligible for federal financial aid, not be able to transfer credits to another school and not be able to obtain appropriate professional licensure in chosen fields. In addition, degrees may not be accepted by employers, depending on local laws, the institution's reputation, and the industry standards.
   
   
4. What are the steps of the accreditation process?
   LaGuardia must conduct a Self-Study following MSCHE Standards. The Self-Study is submitted to the MSCHE for review and for approval of accreditation. Please review the Middle States June 2020 Self-Study Design available in another section of this website for detailed information.
   
   
5. Where are students involved in the accreditation process?
   Students participate in the process to ensure the student voice is being heard. Some students serve as members on the Standards Working Group Teams.
   
   
6. How does accreditation impact students?
   Attending LaGuardia or other accredited institutions provide students with the confidence that they are receiving an education that is at a high level and that the institution is constantly striving for improvements to better serve them. In addition, accreditation ensures that students will be eligible for federal financial aid, they will be able to transfer credits to other schools and they will earn degrees recognized by employers.
   
   
7. Have students been participating in this process?
   Yes, students were selected to serve as members on the Standards Working Group Teams. The co-chairs of this effort have also visited the SGA to inform them about the progress of this effort.

1. Participate and attend Town Halls! Listen to what students have to say​! /li>
2. Give feedback on recommendations
   • Read recommendations in the Town Hall Schedule Section of this website.
   • Attend a town hall (synchronous and asynchronous options). See the schedule in the Town Halls section of this website.
   • Please tell us which Town Hall(s) you would be most interested in attending by completing the Town Hall survey.​​

You Are Not Alone: Interview with Kristina Graham (Student) and Middle States co-chair about why students should participate in Middle States.

When?
Instagram live Wednesday May 5 at 4:30 pm.

Details:
The You Are Not Alone: Ask A Mentor session will begin with a segment about Middle States at 4:30 pm on Wednesday, May 5th via Instagram. The discussion will be for 15-30 minutes and the SSM & Peer Advisor will be asking questions like:

• What is accreditation anyway?
• What re-accredits LaGuardia?
• Why is student participation important?
• What can student do to help?
• How can student attend the town halls?
• Where can I find the schedule?

Follow:
Follow the program accounts on Instagram -- @peeradvisoracademy & @studentsuccessmentors.

How to Join:
https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/699289326902954

• 2017 Financial Analysis
• 2017 Peer Reviewers Compliance Report
• 2017 Periodic Review Report
• 2017 Reviewers Report
• MSCHE Reviewers Recommendations
• 2017 Committee Members
• 2017 PRR TImeline
• 2017 Middle States Standards
• The Periodic Review Report: Re-Accreditation at the Mid-point Presentation

Dear Fellow Faculty, Staff, and Members of LaGuardia Community College,

As you know, the Periodic Review Report (PRR) was submitted on June 1st, to the Middle States Commission of Higher Education. As part of the accreditation process, Middle States has recently forwarded a copy of the Reviewers’ Report for the PRR, the Reviewer's Report for Compliance, as well as the Financial Analysis Review Report. Of note, the Financial Analysis Review Report​ as well as the Compliance Review Report reveals that LaGuardia is in good financial standing and that the college has met all requirements for Verification of Compliance with Accreditation-Relevant Federal Regulations. The review of the Periodic Review Report itself, acknowledges the work and effort of the college since the 2012 Self Study, but additionally provides recommendations, some suggestions, and supportive commentary.

The next step in the accreditation process is for Middle States to provide a final determination on the institution's accreditation status, in November 2017. More information regarding this process may also be found on the Middle States webpage, listed above.

Sincerely,

Joanne Pierre-Louis, Ph.D.
Middle States Chair and Accreditation Liaison Officer
Professor of Psychology
Department of Social Science
Phone: 718-482-6017
middlestates@lagcc.cuny.edu

The decennial evaluation consists of an extensive institutional self-study process that produces a written self-study report. This report and the Commission’s accreditation standards serve as the basis for on-site evaluation by a team of peer evaluators.

Review the 2012 Comprehensive Institutional Self-Study and the 2012 Comprehensive Institutional Self-Study Appendices.