The Accreditation Pulse
Issue No. 1 | January 2026

Welcome to the debut of The Accreditation Pulse, your monthly guide to our journey toward the Fall 2026 Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) site visit. This newsletter is designed to keep our campus community connected, informed, and prepared by providing transparent updates on our Self-Study progress, key timeline milestones, and deep dives into the standards that define our institutional excellence. As we move through this final stretch together, The Accreditation Pulse will serve as your go-to resource for understanding our goals and ensuring every voice is heard in this vital process. 

Our Final Stretch: 
As we enter 2026, we also enter the home stretch of our MSCHE Self-Study process. This year is about more than just compliance; it’s about reflecting on our shared successes. Your voice is the most important part of this narrative. As we finalize our reports, we invite you to engage deeply and help us tell the true story of our institution’s impact. 
 
The Latest Update: 
The heavy lifting of data collection is complete! Our Working Groups officially submitted their initial drafts at the end of December. The Steering Committee is now hard at work synthesizing this information into a single, cohesive Self-Study document. 

Important Dates: 
Our first major community milestone of the year is just around the corner: 

  • What: Interactive Middle States Town Hall 
  • When: Thursday, February 5, 2026 
  • Time: 11:15 AM – 12:45 PM 
  • Where: Wood Dining Room, Iacocca Hall 
  • RSVP: Extended to Thursday, January 29
     

We invite you to participate in an upcoming town hall, as your input is critical to ensuring the self-study is inclusive, transparent, and reflective of our shared values and institutional mission. 
 
Background Documents: 
Participants are encouraged to review the draft reports for each standard in advance: Self-Study Report (Draft) Available for Campus Feedback (Lehigh credentials required). 
 
We will also be hosting an interactive game to test your knowledge of Lehigh, our mission, and our future—with prize giveaways! 

The Accreditation "Cheat Sheet": 
What exactly is a Self-Study? 
It is a comprehensive formal report that we write every eight years to demonstrate how we meet MSCHE’s seven standards of quality. The process allows us to evaluate our own strengths and challenges, ensuring we are constantly improving the student experience. Essentially, it is our institution’s "autobiography" written for our peers and accreditors. 
 
There are seven standards by which MSCHE evaluates us. Each standard has two leads who oversee a working group comprised of a cross-section of Lehigh Faculty & Staff. 

Standard I: Mission & Goals - Ensuring Lehigh’s overall purpose and goals are clearly defined and followed. 

  • Co-led by Donald Outing, Vice President for Equity and Community, and Lucy Bowen, Director of Administration 
     

Standard II: Ethics & Integrity - Covering ethical and responsible behavior by the institution, faculty, staff, and students. 

  • Co-led by Dom Packer, Vice Provost for Educational Innovation and Assessment, Senior Advisor to the Vice Provost for Research, and Naomi Coll, Director of Research Compliance 
     

Standard III: Design & Delivery of the Student Learning Experience - Focusing on the quality and effectiveness of your curriculum, courses, and teaching. 

  • Co-led by Erica Hoelscher, Associate Dean, and Lori McClaind, Associate Dean of Students 
     

Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience - Reviewing services, resources, and activities outside of the classroom, such as advising, health, and campus life. 

  • Co-led by Katherine Lavinder, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Jason Schiffer, Chief of Police 
     

Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment - Evaluating how well the university measures what students are actually learning and achieving. 

  • Co-led by Kelly Austin, Associate Dean, and Sabrina Jedlicka, Deputy Provost for Graduate Education 
     

Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement - Examining how Lehigh manages its resources, finances, and long-term planning for institutional growth. 

  • Co-led by Warren Loller, Director of Budgets, and Chris Cook, Vice President for Finance and Administration 
     

Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, & Administration - Reviewing how the university is organized, led, and governed by its trustees and administrators. 

  • Co-led by Larry Snyder, Deputy Provost for Faculty Affairs, and Brett Ludwig, Vice President of University Communications 
     

Stay tuned for the next issue of The Accreditation Pulse, launching in February!