How are evaluators chosen to serve?
Evaluators come from colleges and universities that are similar to the institution being evaluated, and the usually have expertise in the specific areas that will be the focus of an institution’s evaluation. The Commission maintains a substantial active file of experienced and potential evaluators. The Commission staff is responsible for composing each visiting team and for assigning a person to chair the team, matching the characteristics of the team members to the institution being evaluated. Staff considers, for example, the special nature of the institution’s self-study, institutional size and type, and whether the institution is public or private, non-profit or for-profit. They also typically are selected from within the Middle States region, but sometimes it is necessary to seek expertise from outside the region. Chairs and team members must be generally acceptable both to an institution and to the Commission. Upon formal request by the institution’s chief executive officer, Comm
