On April 3, 2014, a team representing the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) visited IWP to evaluate the Institute’s performance on several “Standards for Accreditation.” In addition to finding IWP in compliance with all standards, this team commended the Institute, “for developing assessment and planning practices that clearly and effectively link institutional assessment and planning.” This action represents the first time in IWP’s history that it has received formal commendation from our accrediting body.
In its report, the MSCHE team commented that it, “saw clear evidence that institution-wide and individual unit assessment related to the strategic plan is ongoing. Each department develops a written plan which ties its goals to the Institute’s strategic plan. All written department plans are shared with other departments and progress in meeting objectives is reviewed regularly by department heads and the Executive Vice-President… Conversations with faculty and administration indicate that planning processes are well communicated and provide for widespread participation.”
“This commendation from MSCHE is the result of the hard work, commitment, and teamwork of the IWP staff,” commented Executive Vice President Noah Rudolph, who serves as a primary IWP liaison to MSCHE. “I could not be more proud of the efforts of our staff,” Mr. Rudolph noted.
Upon reviewing its team’s report and the Institute’s March 2014 Monitoring Report, MSCHE has formally “accepted” the Institute’s report and has not requested any follow up reporting in advance of the Periodic Review Report due in June 2017. The accreditation process of self-regulation and peer review, as overseen by MSCHE, is intended to achieve excellence in education. IWP’s performance over the past year, as noted by MSCHE, is a testament to this process.