Middle States Reaccreditation

All accredited Institutions of Higher Education are required to undergo a review by their accrediting agency.  The process includes a thorough self-study examination and review by peer evaluators. 

Mercy University is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and last had its accreditation reaffirmed in 2015. 

The process of self-study and reaccreditation will culminate with a site evaluation visit in spring 2024 and Commission action in summer 2024.  

The university has appointed a Steering Committee to oversee the self-study process. Working groups have been assembled and will facilitate discussion and  inquiry on MSCHE’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation. The Working Groups and Steering Committee will produce a final self-study report at the completion of the timeline. 

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations, and resources. MSCHE is an institutional accreditor that reviews institutions as a whole rather than specific programs within institutions.  

MSCHE conducts accreditation activities for institutions of higher education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. MSCHE accredits institutions across the United States as well as globally. 

For more information about MSCHE, please visit their webpage at https://www.msche.org/ 

Mercy’s reaccreditation process is a university-wide process, and the Steering Committee will be instrumental in leading the efforts across all working groups and the university. 

Steering Committee members include:

Executive Committee 

There are seven Standards for Accreditation as outlined by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Below is a list of the working groups and their respective members who are facilitating these efforts on behalf of the university. 

Standard 1, Mission & Goals  

• Rossi Hassad, Professor, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences  

• Saul Fisher, Associate Provost, Research, Grants & Academic Initiatives  

Standard 2: Ethics & Integrity  

• Lisa Cox, Director, Internal Audit 

Standard 3: Design & Delivery of the Student Learning Experience  

• Narasim Banavara, Program Director and Associate Professor, School of Liberal Arts

• Dena Whipple, Associate Provost, Academic Affairs  

Standard 4: Support of the Student Experience  

• Susan Gaskin-Noel, Assistant Professor, Library  

• Anne Gilligan, Assistant Vice President, Admissions  

Standard 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment  

• Nannette Hyland, Associate Professor, School of Health & Natural Sciences  

• Joanne Demarco, Director of Institutional Research  

Standard 6: Planning, Resources & Institutional Improvement  

• Denise Stefano, Associate Professor, School of Business  

• Salena Alamprese, Director, Business Services & Capital Planning  

Standard 7: Governance, Leadership & Administration  

• Nancy Heilbronner, Associate Professor, School of Education  

• Kristen Bowes, General Counsel  

In addition, there are two working groups that will support the self-study process that include: 

Verification of Compliance Report  

• Lisa Cox, Director, Internal Audit  

Evidence-Based Inventory Management 

• Kim Boeheim, Director of Special Projects, Office of the President  

• Wendi Vescio, Associate Dean, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences  

Deadlines for Reports

For a complete list of Mercy University accrediting bodies please click here.