All Syracuse University students, faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to review and share feedback on a draft of the institutional self-study report that will be submitted to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) in December as the University seeks reaffirmation of accreditation.

The open comment period runs from Monday, Sept. 21, through Monday, Oct. 12. The draft report is available at go.syr.edu/middlestates.

Review and feedback from across the campus community are essential to producing a self-study report that accurately and comprehensively reflects Syracuse University’s institutional identity, achievements and ongoing commitments, says Julie Hasenwinkel, associate provost for academic programs, who with Katherine McDonald, associate vice president for research, is co-chair of the steering committee. “Faculty, staff and students each bring distinct vantage points on the University’s operations, culture and impact that no single committee, working group or writing team can fully capture alone,” she says.

Adds McDonald: “This collective review also offers the campus community a valuable opportunity to reflect on Syracuse University’s progress, identify areas for continued improvement and ensure that the institution’s self-assessment genuinely represents the perspectives of those who teach, learn and work here every day.”

Collective Effort

The draft self-study report represents months of work by more than 140 members of the campus community. Seven working groups spent the past year examining evidence compiled by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness  and other units and developing reports that demonstrate the University’s adherence to MSCHE’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation. Those reports were submitted to a writing team that reviewed and synthesized the material into a single, comprehensive document.

All feedback submitted during the open comment period will be reviewed and considered as the self-study is finalized ahead of the December submission to MSCHE. In Spring 2027, a team of peer evaluators from other MSCHE-accredited institutions will visit campus to review evidence and meet with campus leaders and constituencies, with a final accreditation determination expected in June 2027.

For more information, visit effectiveness.syr.edu/accreditation. Questions about accessing the draft self-study may be directed to Melissa Lowry at malowry@syr.edu.