University of Maryland, University System of Maryland, and Board of Regents Joint Statement on MSCHE Accreditation Decision—June 28, 2019

Joint Statement by University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Chair Linda Gooden, USM Chancellor Robert Caret, and University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) President Wallace Loh on the Decision by the Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE) Regarding the Accreditation Status of UMCP:

MSCHE on June 27, 2019 placed UMCP on warning that “its accreditation may be in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that [it] is currently in compliance with Standard VII (Governance, Leadership, and Administration).” This Standard requires that UMCP “operate as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.”

Therefore, MSCHE requested a monitoring report due March 1, 2020, demonstrating compliance with Standard VII, followed-up by a MSCHE team visit. MSCHE will provide guidance on its expectations. Meanwhile, UMCP remains fully accredited.

USM Board of Regents, USM, and UMCP are committed to working together to ensure that the governance structure clearly specifies the roles, responsibilities, and accountability of each constituency and that these are in full alignment with MSCHE Standard VII; moreover, that there is periodic assessment of the effectiveness of governance, leadership, and administration in accordance with Standard VII. Progress towards full compliance is already underway and will be completed by March 1, 2020.