GW Opens Comment Period for Middle States Draft Self-Study

The George Washington University has opened the comment period for its draft comprehensive self-study, a crucial step in its reaccreditation process with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The self-study demonstrates how well GW is complying with a set of criteria across seven Middle States standards. GW's Middle States Steering Committee conducted the self-study in partnership with working groups assigned to each of the standards.

The draft self-study will be posted for comment until Friday, Nov. 6, with feedback informing a round of revisions. The revised draft will then be sent to the chair of the Middle States visiting team, Mark Kamlet, university professor and provost emeritus of Carnegie Mellon University, prior to a visit in December. GW's accreditation team will then finalize the self-study in January prior to the Middle States visiting team's arrival on campus in April 2027. The visiting team, comprising approximately seven to nine colleagues from comparable institutions, will conduct a peer review, assessing the self-study in part by meeting with faculty, staff, students and trustees.

GW undergoes the reaccreditation process every eight years with Middle States. Though accreditation is voluntary, it is necessary for institutions offering Title IV federal financial aid.

The self-study measures progress regarding GW's mission and goals; ethics and integrity; the student learning experience; educational effectiveness; planning, resources and institutional improvement; and governance, leadership and administration. The self-study was conducted by the Middle States Steering Committee and working groups each dedicated to one of the Middle States standards.

Members of the GW community can provide feedback on the self-study on the Office of the Provost website or at town halls on the Virginia Science and Technology Campus and Foggy Bottom campus. The town halls will be held from noon-1 p.m. on Oct. 21 at Exploration Hall, Room 101 at VSTC, and from 4-5 p.m. Oct. 26 at the School of Media and Public Affairs, Room 310 and virtual via Zoom.