The University of the Virgin Islands' accreditation has been
reaffirmed through the periodic review process by the Middle States
Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which accredits
degree-granting colleges and universities in the Middle States
region.
UVI received a favorable response to the Periodic Review Report
(PRR), also known as the five-year mid-point report, a requirement
of the MSCHE when member institutions reach the half-way point in
their ten-year cycle of reaffirmation of accreditation. In 2007,
MSCHE acted to reaffirm UVI's accreditation through 2017, with
recommendations for additional reports prior to the submission of
the PRR. UVI has favorably met all of the recommendations.
A letter recently received by UVI from MSCHE reads:
"At its session on November 15, 2012, the Middle States Commission
on Higher Education acted: To accept the Periodic Review Report and
to reaffirm accreditation. The next evaluation visit is scheduled
for 2016-2017."
"This action of the Commission demonstrates that we have been
working on the right issues and making important progress," UVI
President Dr. David Hall said of UVI's mid-point reaffirmation of
accreditation. "It allows us to focus on the 2016-2017 site
visit."
Dr. Hall added that it is impressive for UVI that MSCHE accepted
the report with no further recommendations and did not require
additional monitoring or progress reports. "This only occurs when
an institution has adequately addressed concerns and
recommendations that were raised at the last site visit, and is
operating in a manner that creates a high level of confidence in
the minds of the members of the accrediting body," Dr. Hall
said.
"It means that UVI is operating in a sound and effective manner.
The fact that our report was accepted without recommendations also
indicates that our work in regards to assessment - especially
student learning outcomes - is progressing in a significant
manner," Dr. Hall added. He thanked members of the UVI community
for their work in getting UVI to this point. "There are many
individuals who allowed us to get to this place in such a short
period of time and we must now build on this progress."
Dr. Haldane Davies explained that the Periodic Review Report is a
major accreditation event which speaks to the continued eligibility
of the University to maintain its accreditation. "It carries
significant weight in that failure to have the PRR accepted could
put our institution in jeopardy of losing its status as an
accredited and recognized institution, being ineligible to receive
federal financial aid, and other public and private grants and
gifts," said Dr. Davies, UVI's special assistant to the President
and executive director for Institutional Effectiveness and
Assessment. Dr. Davies, with the assistance of a steering
committee, led UVI's effort in the preparation of the PRR.
"We will continue to further develop and solidify the University's
institutional effectiveness and assessment program as we traverse
the pathways to greatness and further develop a stronger
University," Dr. Davies added.
The University of the Virgin Islands has been accredited since 1971
by MSCHE.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary,
non-governmental, membership association that defines, maintains
and promotes educational excellence across institutions with
diverse missions, student populations and resources. It examines
each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within
institutions.