Stockton College Earns Reaccreditation

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) has reaffirmed the accreditation status, the college announced on Monday, July 9.

For the most part, accreditation was initiated through the school’s 2020 Strategic Planning Process using a balanced scorecard approached, which was developed by Harvard University, according to the college.

A group of representatives from Stockton’s peer institutions praised the college for its emphasis on teaching and a “uniform commitment to students on the part of the faculty, administration and staff,” according to the school. 

Accreditation is good for a 10-year span, and was granted by MSCHE following the normal process that includes a self-evaluation by Stockton and MSCHE’s comprehensive evaluation, as well as an on-site visit by an MSCHE evaluation team, made up of representatives from Stockton’s peer institutions, according to Stockton.

Stockton’s self-evaluation took two years and included more than 100 members of faculty and staff.

Stockton’s peers commended the school’s self-study report and gave high marks in the vast majority of the measurement categories, including quality of teaching and learning outcomes, faculty accomplishment, student services and “sound financial circumstances, characterized by strong assets and a series of unqualified financial statements.”

The report by its peers also noted Stockton’s endowment doubled in five years and increased grant funding at the federal, state and local levels by 70 percent.

Stockton’s facilities were characterized as “(being) in very good condition and have been expanded to meet the needs of a growing student body.”  Specific mention was made of the Campus Center, which opened in May 2011, the Carnegie Library Center in Atlantic City, and the Unified Science Center currently under construction, among others.  These new and/or expanded facilities have been added to the campus, the report noted, while respecting the ecological sensitivity of the Pinelands National Reserve, which surrounds the majority of Stockton’s 2,000 acre campus, the largest in the state.

Its peers also made note of Stockton’s mission and goals, leadership and governance; planning, allocation of resources, student retention and admission, support services, faculty, educational offerings, and student learning outcomes.

A periodic review report is due in June of 2017, and no further follow-up will be required, Stockton officials said. Stockton College President Herman J. Saatkamp viewed MSCHE’s position that no further follow-up was needed as “unusual.”

“I am quite pleased and gratified that the Middle States Commission on Higher Education has reaffirmed our accreditation in such a positive and decisive way,” Saatkamp said.  “This designation confirms our excellence as an institution as we fulfill our mission to maintain an environment for excellence for New Jersey students.

“The MSCHE announcement indicates the College mission, goals and performance standards are being achieved at a time when Stockton is completing its 40^th anniversary of teaching and looking ahead toward a very promising future.”

The MSCHE’s self-regulation and peer-review process are designed to help institutions improve and maintain quality assurance for parents and students, the school said. Accreditation is considered a must for parents and students selecting their college and university choices, the school said. It also has an impact on the institution’s funding and ability to draw quality faculty, administration and staff, according to Stockton officials.

It’s also mandatory for students to be eligible for financial aid.

“Such a strong reaffirmation of our accreditation – along with our high rankings by such independent evaluators as U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Colleges, Princeton Review and others, serve as confirmation we are headed in the right direction,” Saatkamp said. 

“Today’s announcement by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an extraordinary result,” Stockton Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Harvey Kesselman said. “Accreditation has never been more stringent or demanding.  For Stockton to emerge without conditions and requirements, and to earn two commendations is something the entire College community should be quite proud of.”