Self-Study 2024-2025

Frederick Community College Mission Statement

 

Focused on teaching and learning, Frederick Community College provides affordable, flexible access to lifelong education that responds to the needs of diverse learners and the community.

 

 

Fall campus

Accreditation Overview

In the Commission's own description:

 

“The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), through accreditation, mandates that its member institutions meet rigorous and comprehensive standards, which are addressed in the context of the mission of each institution and within the culture of ethical practices and institutional integrity expected of accredited institutions. In meeting the quality standards of MSCHE accreditation, institutions earn accredited status, and this permits them to state with confidence: “Our students are well-served; society is well-served.” (see MSCHE Standards)


Visit the MSCHE website for more information: https://www.msche.org/

Grants of accreditation are given for eight-year periods. In order to maintain its institutional accreditation, the College is responsible for meeting all of the MSCHE Requirements of Affiliation and Standards for Accreditation.

To see more about accreditation, access this page.

 

Accreditation Cycle and Reporting Requirements

 

The College is required to demonstrate compliance through periodic reporting to MSCHE and to complete a self-study nearing the conclusion of the grant of accreditation. This is done through the following:

 

Annual Institutional Updates (AIU)

 

MSCHE uses the AIU as a means of monitoring metrics and documents for the College. This is one part of compliance reporting that speaks to the health of the institution to the Commission. MSCHE uses some information reported by the College via the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), including enrollment information, student achievement, and financial health. This information is publicly available via an MSCHE generated dashboard. Other information is provided by the College directly to the Commission including some of its required annual compliance reporting.

Self Study

 

The Self-Study is required every eight-years, coinciding with the end of a grant of accreditation. The Self-Study is an opportunity for the College to conduct an in-depth evaluation of its operations, with an emphasis on a collaborative and data-driven process, demonstrating compliance with the Requirements of Affiliation, Standards for Accreditation, and Federal Requirements.

Peer reviewers conduct an on-site review of the Self-Study, verifying the College’s compliance, and providing areas for improvement if warranted. The Self-Study is conducted over a three-year period.

 

2024-25 Self-Study Overview

FCC’s 2024-25 Self-Study process began in Fall of 2022, utilizing the 13th Edition of the MSCHE Standards, with the kick-off of the Self-Study Institute and culminated in the finalization of the Self-Study Report in January 2025. The resulting report, the 2024-25 Self-Study, represented a point-in-time review of the College.

In March 2025, FCC hosted an MSCHE peer review team who reviewed the College’s Self-Study, submitted evidence, and corroborated its findings through on-campus interviews. A Team Report was generated and provided to the College with areas of strength and improvement. In June of 2025, the Commission accepted the Self-Study and the Team Report and moved to reaffirm the College’s accreditation.

FCC’s next Self-Study cycle will occur in 2032-2033.
 

Intended Outcomes of the 2024-25 Self-Study

  1. Engage the College community in an inclusive and transparent self-appraisal process that actively and deliberately seeks to involve members from all areas of the College
  2. Demonstrate how the institution currently meets the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation through the Self-Study
  3. Demonstrate a data informed culture which focuses on institutional effectiveness and innovation in the attainment of the College mission and institutional priorities
  4. Demonstrate a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is present at all levels of the College

 

Self-Study Timeline 2022 - 2025

  • Phase I - 2022-2023
    Formation of the Steering Committee and Work Groups, Communication Plan Development, Self-Study Outcomes Defined, and Approval of the Self-Study Design.
  • Phase II - 2023-2024
    Collection of Evidence and formalization of the Evidence Inventory, Work Group Drafts and Collaboration with the Steering Committee, Draft of the Self-Study Completed.
  • Phase III - 2024-2025
    Self-Study Report presented to the Campus Community, Feedback and Editing of the Report, Submission of the Report to the Evaluation Team, On-site Evaluation, Receipt of Team Report from the Evaluation Team, College response to report, Notice of Action from MSCHE.
  • Phase I - 2022-2023
    Formation of the Steering Committee and Work Groups, Communication Plan Development, Self-Study Outcomes Defined, and Approval of the Self-Study Design.
  • Phase II - 2023-2024
    Collection of Evidence and formalization of the Evidence Inventory, Work Group Drafts and Collaboration with the Steering Committee, Draft of the Self-Study Completed.
  • Phase III - 2024-2025
    Self-Study Report presented to the Campus Community, Feedback and Editing of the Report, Submission of the Report to the Evaluation Team, On-site Evaluation, Receipt of Team Report from the Evaluation Team, College response to report, Notice of Action from MSCHE.

Steering Committee

The Self Study Steering Committee is the body that ensures that the self-study is conducted in a rigorous manner that is inclusive, in-depth, and works toward achieving the intended outcomes of the self-study process. Steering Committee Members support the overall work of the Self-Study. The Committee is composed of two Co-Chairs of the Self-Study, Chairs of the Working Groups, and other individuals deemed necessary to the development of the final Self-Study.

The co-chairs of the Self-Study are:

  • Frederick Cope, Assistant Professor of English
  • Kevin Martin, Senior Researcher for Institutional Effectiveness

The Steering Committee is composed of the following individuals:

  • Jane Beatty, Executive Director for Student Finance/Bursar
  • Gerald Boyd, Special Assistant to the President for Institutional Effectiveness (Accreditation Liaison Officer)
  • Molly Carlson, Associate Vice President, Dean, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development
  • Frederick Cope, Co-Chair of the Self Study, Assistant Professor of English
  • Gohar Farahani, Executive Director, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness
  • Julie Horton, Education Program Coordinator
  • Kevin Martin, Co-Chair of the Self Study, Senior Researcher for Institutional Effectiveness
  • Sandy McCombe Waller, AVP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Health, Business, Technology, and Science
  • Colleen McKnight, Director for Library Services
  • Karen Place, Capital Project Planner, Capital Planning and Project Management
  • Diana Oliver, Human Resources Manager
  • Nichole Pollard-Alford: Associate Vice President for Student and Financial Support Services
  • Benita Rashaw, Vice President for Student Experience
  • Brian Stipelman, AVP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Liberal Arts
  • Karen Wilson, Department Chair, Computing & Business Technology; Assistant Professor, Business Studies

Work Groups

Work Groups are the principal means of identifying compliance with the MSCHE standards and documenting their evidence. Each Work Group is aligned with a specific standard and are responsible for demonstrating compliance with the standard. The Working Groups are led by a Chair and Vice Chair. The Chair is responsible for reporting the progress made within the Work Group to the Steering Committee and must be intimately involved in the overall process to do so. The Vice Chair of the Work Group is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the work of the Working Group.

 

Work Group 1: Mission and Goals The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.
 
Work Group 2: Ethics and IntegrityEthics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.
 
Work Group 3: Design and Delivery of Student Learning ExperienceAn institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.
 
Work Group 4: Support of the Student ExperienceAcross all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.
 
Work Group 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.
 
Work Group 6: Planning, Resources, and Institutional ImprovementThe institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.
 
Work Group 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.
 

Get Involved

 

The Self-Study process is intentionally collaborative and representative of the varied thoughts and visions of the College community. More information about how to get involved will be provided as the College approaches its next Self-Study beginning around Fall of 2030.

Resources

 

Contact

 

Kevin J. Martin, Ph.D.
Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO)
Senior Researcher, Institutional Effectiveness
Phone: 301.846.2621

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