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Pennsylvania Western University is committed to providing you with the very best in higher education. The accreditation process promotes excellence by verifying that PennWest University continues to meet top standards for educational quality.
Accreditation also allows:
MIDDLE STATES ACCREDITATION
PennWest is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Middle States is the same organization that for decades accredited our legacy universities: Clarion (since 1948), Edinboro (since 1949), and California University of Pennsylvania (since 1951).
Learn more about Middle States and its mission or review the Standards for Accreditation, 13th edition.
THE SELF-STUDY PROCESS
As an accredited university, PennWest regularly undertakes an in-depth self-study – a rigorous process of peer review, assessment, and evaluation that ensures we continue to meet the high standards of educational quality that accreditation requires.
The self-study is designed to engage our entire PennWest community – students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, and other community members – as we examine our university’s mission, demonstrate that we can accomplish that mission, and show that we are committed to continuous improvement that leads to student success.
The self-study process aligns with PennWest’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, which officially launched in September 2023.
SELF-STUDY TIMELINE
PennWest’s initial self-study began with preliminary activities in Fall 2022. It will culminate in a visit from our Middle States evaluation team in Spring 2025, followed by the team’s report and action by the full commission. This timeline is included in the Self-Study Design:
In order to maintain accreditation, colleges and universities in the Middle States region undergo a self-study every eight years and submit annual updates to the Middle States Commission.
PennWest is engaged in its initial self-study as an integrated institution. To keep our PennWest community informed, documents will be added here as the self-study progresses.
PennWest Self-Study Working Groups
MSCHE Statement of Accreditation Status, Pennsylvania Western University
MSCHE Statement of Accreditation Status, California University of Pennsylvania, June 2022
MSCHE Statement of Accreditation Status, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, June 2022
MSCHE Statement of Accreditation Status, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, June 2022
For questions about PennWest’s self-study, contact our Accreditation Liaison Officer, Dr. Susanne Fenske (sfenske@pennwest.edu), or Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness Becky McMillen (mcmillen_b@pennwest.edu).
CONTACT THE MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
1007 N. Orange St., 4th Floor, MB #166, Wilmington, DE 19801
267-284-5011
