Do institutions ever lose accreditation?
Following a review, it is common for the Middle States review team to make recommendations for improvements to universities. This impartial external peer feedback provides the university with an opportunity to enhance its programs and strengthen its mission. Normally, a university is given a reasonable time frame to address the recommendations. A more detailed explanation of potential stepsthat may be taken by Middle States can be found athttp://www.msche.org/documents/P2.3-RangeofActions.doc.
When an institution fails to meet Commission standards, the Commission may decide to defer a decision on an institution’s accreditation, providing an opportunity for the institution to correct its problems within a limited period of time. The Commission also may take other steps, which are described in the Commission Policy A–3 – Disclosure of Accrediting Documents and Commission Actions . These steps include warning an institution that its accreditation may be in jeopardy, placing an institution on probation, or requiring an institution to show cause why its accreditation should not be removed. Institutions have the right to appeal an adverse Commission decision, and the institution retains its accredited status during the appeal process.
