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Institutional Accreditation
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE), serves as an independent authority in the realm of higher education.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Niagara County Community College is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission) www.msche.org. Niagara County Community College’s accreditation status is accredited. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on June 23, 2016 was to reaffirm accreditation. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States.
MSCHE Self-Study to reaffirm accreditation
Timeline of Major Events of the Process (As indicated in the Self-Study Design)
| Event | Timeframe | Year |
|---|---|---|
| MSCHE Action (goal is of course reaffirmation of MSCHE Accreditation | June/November | 2025 |
| Peer Evaluation review Team – Site Visit (Entire Campus Community, specific representatives s requested by the Site Visit Team ) | Spring | 2025 |
| Final Self-Study Report Due Please consult additional “Preparation and Completion Timeline” document for further details | December/January | 2024/2025 |
| eer Evaluation Team Chair Preliminary Visit (Steering Committee and Campus Community as needed) | Late Spring | 2024 |
| Peer Evaluation Team Chair Selection Begins (MSCHE) | September | 2023 |
| Self-Study Design Due | May | 2023 |
| Self Study Design Review Visit MSCHE VP liaison and Steering Committee | March | 2023 |
| Video Conference with Middle States VP Liaison (Co-chairs) | January | January |
| elf-Study Institute - Complete (Steering Committee) | November | 2022 |
Self-Study Preparation and Completion Timeline Details
(As indicated in the Self-Study Design)
| Timeframe | Activity |
|---|---|
| June/November 2025 | - MSCHE Commission Action |
| February – May 2025 | - Confirm Peer Review Evaluation Team Visit (Before 4/15 for November Action) - Visit Highlights - Peer Review Team Completes Review and Report - Peer Review Team Chair and President review findings - Campus Oral Summary P (no Q&A) - Create Institutional Response, if needed |
| February – March 2025 | - Final Self-Study Report/ Verification of Compliance/Evidence Inventory uploaded to MSCHE portal (due six weeks before team visit) |
| December 2024/January 2025 | - Self-Study Report finalized based on Team Chair feedback - Self-Study Report shared with campus |
| November 2024 | - Self-Study Report draft sent to Peer Review Team Chair (two weeks before preliminary visit) - Peer Review Team Chair’s Preliminary Visit |
| Spring/Fall 2024 | - Self-Study campus review and revisions - Self-Study Steering Committee and Evidence and Data Working Group meet as needed |
| Winter 2023/Spring 2024 | - Full draft of report sent to campus community - Peer Review Team Chair chosen - Review visit dates chosen - Final/Accepted Self-Study document sent to Chair - Self-Study Steering Committee and Evidence and Data Working Group meet as needed |
| Spring/Fall 2023 | - Working Groups gather and analyze data and submit progress reports to Steering Committee - Continue regular Self-Study Steering Committee and Evidence and Data Working Group meetings - Chapter drafts begin to be shared with campus community |
| Summer 2023 | - Continue regular Self-Study Steering Committee and Evidence and Data Working Group meetings |
| Spring/Summer 2023 | - Plan for acceptance/revisions of Self-Study Design - Begin Evidence and Data Working Group meetings - Continue regular Self-Study Steering Committee meetings |
| March 2023 | - Host on campus Commission Staff Liaison Self-Study prep visit - Distribute Self-Study Design to campus - Update Steering Committee Working Group memberships with additional volunteers - Continue regular Self-Study Steering Committee meetings |
| February 2023 | Assemble Working Groups (draw from volunteer forms) - Develop initial Self-Study Draft - Submit Self-Study Design draft (mid-February, 2 weeks prior to Self-Study prep visit) - Update Trustees on Middle States effort - Continue regular Self-Study Steering Committee meetings |
| January 2023 | - Participate in a (remote) meeting with Commission staff liaison - Develop (draft) sections of the Self-Study Design - Present Middle States Self-Study effort at All College meeting - Present Middle States Self-Study effort at Trustee meeting - Continue regular Self-Study Steering Committee meetings |
| December 2022 | - Complete Self-Study Institute - Assemble and finalize Steering Committee membership - Draft outline of Self-Study Design - Begin regular Self-Study Steering Committee meetings |
| October 2022 | - Attend Self-Study Institute - Steering Committee Leadership Group begins regular, monthly meetings |
| July 2022 | - Begin Middle States preparation (document review, post resources, etc.) - Begin development of an evidence ‘staging’ area |
| May 2022 | Set up the Middle States Accreditation Teams portal |
Committee Structure
Lydia Ulatowski
Accreditation Liaison Officer
Fabio Escobar
Steering Committee Co-chairs
Andrew Yeager
Steering Committee Co-chairs
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Dr. Matthew Clarcq | Professor of History |
| Mr. Kevin Clark | Member of NCCC’s Board of Trustees |
| Mr. Wayne Lynch | Vice President of Administration |
| Ms. Alissa Shugats-Cummings | Vice President of Student Services |
| Mr. Scott Steiner CCE, AAC | Professor of Culinary Art |
| Dr. Deborah Wyzykiewicz, DPT, MS, PT | Professor of Physical Therapist Assistant Program and Massage Therapy |
| Dr. Akie Yanagi | Coordinator of Institutional Research |
Standard I & VII Working Group Co-Chairs | |
| Brian Michel | Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs |
| Diane Pytlik-Flammia | Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs for Nursing, Physical & Allied Health |
| Robert Morris | Chair and Professor, Division of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences |
| Elizabeth Sachs | Faculty Senate President; Professor of English |
| John D. Strong | Associate Professor of HPE; Chief Diversity & Equity Officer |
| Sabrina Faso | Recruitment Coordinator/Enrollment Center |
| Matt Clarcq | SSSC Liaison |
Standard II Working Group (Verification of Federal Compliance) Chair | |
| Christine Duquin | Director of Child Development Center |
| Julie Schucker | Registrar |
| Andrew Aquino | Librarian/Instructor – Henrietta G. Lewis Library |
| Hal Legg | Director of Public Relations & Event Management |
| Austin Brass | Director of Admissions |
| James Trimboli | Director of Financial Aid |
| Jonathan Bellomo | Assistant Director of Human Resources |
| Alissa Shagats-Cummings | SSSC Liaison |
Standard III and V Working Group Chair | |
| Michele Burke | Clinical Coordinator and Instructor – Radiologic Technology Professor |
| Anne Jowsey | Mathematics and Science Instructor |
| Lindsey Bax | Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy Assistant Professor |
| Katherine Croom | Psychology Associate Professor |
| Lindsay Rose | Chemistry and Chair of Curriculum Committee |
| Robert Borgatti | Professor, Animation and Digital Media |
| Laura Scarpelli | Assistant Professor, Computer Information Systems |
| Donna Simiele | Online Learning Technology Support Coordinator |
| Deb Wyzykiewicz | SSSC Liaison |
Standard IV Working Group Co-Chairs | |
| Jean Linn | Chair – Henrietta G. Lewis Library and Assistant Professor/Librarian |
| Sandra Lynn Lytle | Interim Director of the Academic Center for Excellence |
| Glory Fox | Online Learning Student Support Specialist |
| Seana Sullivan | Instructor, Baking & Pastry Arts |
| Laura Kowalczyk | Academic Coach, Academic Center for Excellence |
| Dr. Demetrius Sarigiannis | Assistant Professor, Engineering Sciences |
| Jennifer Crandall | Senior Library Clerk |
| Gretchen Mittelstaedt | Administrative Assistant, Student Services |
| Alissa Shugats-Cummings | SSSC Liaison |
Standard VI Working Group Chair | |
| John Eichner | Director of Business Services & Executive Director of College Association |
| Josh Blumberg | Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and NFCI Campus Manager |
| Dr. Akie Yanagi | Director of Research, Planning, and Institutional Assessment |
| Suman Baral | Instructor, Physics |
| Steven Hoover | Director of Finance & Business Operations – College Association of NCCC, Inc. |
| Lisa Dubuc | Coordinator of Online Learning |
| Catherine Brown | Assistant VP of Human Resources |
| Christopher Herbeck | Assistant Director of Grants |
| Wayne Lynch | SSSC Liaison |
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