The Accreditation Pulse

A Successful Milestone: Provost Dobie’s Visit

We are excited to share that our preliminary site visit with Team Chair Provost Beth Ann Dobie on April 13 and 14 was a success. Provost Dobie spent two productive days engaging with leadership, faculty, staff, and students. As a peer reviewer, her goal was to understand the Lehigh way, and ascertain a clear sense of our community’s dedication to excellence.

This visit confirmed that we are on the right track for our full evaluation in September. We are grateful to everyone who attended the Open Forum and shared their insights—your participation was noticed and appreciated.

The Big Win: The Draft is Live & Evolving

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the Self-Study Draft last month. This document—our "institutional autobiography"—is now being refined based on the feedback we received from the campus community and the helpful perspectives shared by Provost Dobie during her visit.

Educational Moment: Transitioning to the Team Visit

Now that the Preliminary visit is over, we look toward the Main Event this fall.

  • The Date: September 27–30, 2026.
  • The Team: While April was a solo visit by the Chair, in September we will welcome a full team of 7–8 peer evaluators from across the country.
  • The Focus: They will be looking at how we live out our mission and how we address our three institutional priorities: Student Retention, Community Engagement, and Financial Sustainability.

Thank you for making Middle States a collaborative—and even fun—success this month!

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

Strategic Milestone: Full Self-Study Draft Now Available
We are pleased to announce the release of the Full Self-Study Draft. This document is the result of two years of comprehensive institutional reflection and collaboration by our dedicated working groups. It serves as our official "institutional autobiography," documenting Lehigh’s academic excellence and our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

Self-Study Report (March 27, 2026 DRAFT)
[Lehigh credentials required]

Preliminary Visit: Welcoming Team Chair Beth Ann Dobie
On April 13-14, 2026, Lehigh will host our Evaluation Team Chair, Provost Dobie, for a preliminary site visit.

As a peer reviewer and Provost at a research institution, Provost Dobie provides a collegial perspective on the complexities of higher education. This visit serves as the foundation for our full evaluation in September, allowing the Chair to review logistics and engage with key campus stakeholders, including:

  • Senior Leadership and the University Cabinet

  • Faculty and Staff representatives

  • Undergraduate and Graduate Students

  • The Steering Committee and Working Group Co-Leads

The Main Event: Community Open Forum
You are invited to join us for a campus-wide conversation to share your insights and hear the latest updates.

  • When: Tuesday, April 14, 2026

  • Time: 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

  • Where: UC 375

  • Light refreshments will be served!

RSVP BY April 6th!

Institutional Engagement: Preparing for Peer Review
The accreditation process is a collegial professional exchange rather than a formal audit. To prepare for potential engagement with the visiting team, we encourage the community to reflect on these core institutional themes:

  1. Mission: How do you see the Lehigh mission, advancing learning through teaching, research, and service, in your daily work?

  2. Impact: How do you know our students are learning and succeeding in your department?

  3. Future: What are you most proud of regarding Lehigh’s growth over the last few years?

Self-Study by the Numbers
To give you a sense of the incredible scale and effort put into this project so far, here is a quick snapshot of our progress:

Evidence Documents Gathered:   450+

Draft Pages Written:   100+

Working Group Members:  70+

Standard-Specific Reports:   7

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

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Does anyone actually use 'fun' and 'accreditation' in the same sentence? After our Middle States Interactive Town Hall, the answer is a resounding YES! Whether you were battling it out for Lehigh Trivia glory or sharing insights during our small group breakouts, the energy was undeniable. It wasn't just about checkboxes and standards; it was a chance to hit pause on the hustle and celebrate the incredible community we have created. We’re energized, we’re focused, and we’re ready to show Middle States that Lehigh doesn't just meet standards, we set them! 

Our Mission Statement
At the heart of our accreditation process is the Lehigh Mission Statement, which serves as our North Star, defining why we exist and who we serve. It isn't just a paragraph in a handbook; it is the framework for every decision we make, from classroom innovation to campus life. As we prepare for our site visit, it is vital that every member of our community, including faculty, staff, and students, not only recognizes the mission but also understands how their individual work brings it to life. When we can all articulate our shared purpose, we demonstrate to the Middle States evaluators that Lehigh is a cohesive, mission-driven institution where everyone is moving toward the same goal.  

Lehigh’s Mission: To advance learning through the integration of teaching, research, and service to others.

Looking Ahead: Important Dates

  • April 13-14, 2026: Team Chair Preliminary Visit
    The Team Chair will meet with senior leadership, faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, working group leads, and the steering committee.  Please stay tuned for an upcoming announcement regarding the community-wide interactive session.

  • September 27-30, 2026: Full Evaluation Team Site Visit
    A team of peer evaluators will be on campus to meet with faculty, staff, students, and the university community to assess our alignment with Middle States standards and our institutional priorities. Formal opportunities to meet with the team will be made available closer to the site visit. 

Who exactly are the "Peer Reviewers"?
One of the most common myths about accreditation is that we are being audited by government "inspectors" or external regulators. In reality, Middle States operates on a Peer Review Model.

This means the team visiting Lehigh this fall is composed of colleagues from other premier institutions, including professors, deans, provosts, and senior administrators.  Here is why that matters:

  • They Speak Our Language: Because they work in higher education every day, they understand the unique challenges and complexities of a research university. They aren't looking for "perfection"; they are looking for authenticity and progress.
     

  • Validation, Not "Gotchas": Their primary goal is to verify that our Self-Study report accurately reflects the Lehigh experience. They are here to confirm that we are living out our mission and meeting the Middle States Standards in a way that is true to our specific culture.
     

  • A "Collegial" Conversation: Think of the site visit as a high-level professional exchange. While they will ask tough questions to ensure we are "closing the loop" on our goals, their ultimate role is to provide a fresh, external perspective that helps us get even better.
     

  • The Bottom Line: We aren’t "defending" ourselves to a jury; we are sharing our story with a group of colleagues who want to see Lehigh succeed.

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

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!