Self Study

MSCHE Self-Study Draft Now Available for Community Review 

LIM College has released the first draft of its Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Self-Study report. We invite all members of our community to read the draft and share feedback as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and continuous improvement. 

• Read the Self-Study Draft (PDF)
• Share Your Feedback via Survey (log into myLIM)

Our on-site MSCHE evaluation visit is scheduled for March 29, 2026. Your input is valuable and appreciated. 

For questions or more information, please contact Dr. Peter Zirogiannis at peter.zirogiannis@limcollege.edu.

 “Self-study” is the name given to the process that colleges and universities go through to have their accreditation reaffirmed by an accrediting body. For LIM, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (or MSCHE, pronounced Mish-ee) is our accrediting body.

Accreditation is a requirement made by the Federal government of colleges and universities to assure that the educational enterprise of a college or university is sound and worth the investment of Federal financial assistance to its students. It also assures the public, parents, students and funders that our programs and services, and viability and value of the degrees we award have been audited by an independent third party (e.g., MSCHE).

The self-study process occurs every eight years and is an important opportunity for the college in its entirety to examine how well it has met its mission, vision, values and institutional priorities, as well as carried out its strategic plan. During the self-study process we will also address how well we meet MSCHE’s seven standards and 15 requirements of affiliation. Our accreditation was last affirmed in 2017.

Our Self-Study Report for 2025-26 is due in Fall 2025. In Spring 2026, a visiting team of members of other colleges and universities will visit LIM College and provide their report on the quality of our self-study, the state of the college relative to MSCHE’s standards and requirements of affiliation, and recommendations for the future.

LIM elected to establish a Coordinating Committee to start the process of the self-study including development of the Steering Committee and drafting the Self-study Design. Members of the Coordinating Committee serve as the Co-chairs of the Steering Committee, and all have identified roles on the Steering Committee. This team is responsible for the overall management of the self-study process. The Coordinating Committee is charged to:

• Develop a self-study design that ensures critical analysis of the College’s compliance with Middle States Standards, Requirements of Accreditation.
• Develop lines of inquiry
• Coordinate the efforts of the Steering Committee and working groups
• Oversee the completion of the final self-study report
• Coordinate the evaluation team visit

Members of the Steering Committee were approved by the President’s Cabinet in January 2024. The Steering Committee membership, comprised of department heads and full-time faculty from across the College, will provide management and guidance during the self-study process. As the Steering Committee Charge shows, all members are assigned to the leadership of a working group and the coordination of research and documentation. 

The Steering Committee is charged to: 

• Lead working groups and coordination of documents and research 
• Gather an evidence inventory
• Provide editorial oversight for the Self-Study Report

Seven Working Groups, organized around institutional priorities and MSCHE standards, have been established. These Working Groups are led by members of the Steering Committee. The Working Groups are listed below.

• Working Group #1: Mission and Goals
• Working Group #2: Ethics and Integrity
• Working Group #3: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
• Working Group #4: Support of the Student Experience
• Working Group #5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment
• Working Group #6: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
• Working Group #7: Governance, Leadership and Administration

Why is this important? And, why should it matter to me?

Because we are here to serve you! And to ensure you successfully earn the highest quality degrees LIM can offer you. The Self-Study Process is where we will reflect on different areas of the College, on what we have done in the past, evaluating our current processes, and looking towards the future.

How do I get involved?

LIM students are the backbone to our success and will play a crucial role in this process. Keep an eye out on your emails – look for the Middle States Self-Study logo – for more information about the process and opportunities to get involved.

If you are interested in more information or want to get involved, please e-mail: peter.zirogiannis@limcollege.edu