The accreditation process, conducted by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, has begun. The Commission examines institutions' goals, missions, and effectiveness, and explores whether the staff, organization, and facilities enable them to accomplish their goals. Institutions are evaluated once every ten years.

One of the major components of the accrediting process is a self-study report produced by the institution seeking accreditation. The Graduate School and University Center has already begun to create its report by naming those who will serve as co-chairs for this self-study; naming the self-study report's steering committee; and naming the members of the working groups which will produce individual chapters of the report.

The report's co-chairs, who will also serve on the steering committee, will be Dr. David Adams, Director of Institutional Research and Program Evaluation, Professor Anne Humpherys (English and Women's Studies), and Associate Provost Jack Jacobs. The steering committee includes students, faculty, administrators, and an alumnus. Members are Dr. Stephen Brier, Professor Dee Clayman, Mr. Gregory Donovan, Professor Linda Edwards, Professor Louise Lennihan, Professor Linwood Lewis, Professor David Olan, Mr. Matthew Schoengood, Ms. Denise Torres, Professor Barbara Weinstein, and Acting Provost Julia Wrigley. More than fifty others have already agreed to participate in self-study working groups.

The self study process will involve much of the Graduate Center community in a rigorous process of evaluation and reflection. The self-study draft will be completed by the end of the Spring 2009 semester. In conjunction with the steering committee's inaugural meeting on April 4, President William Kelly said, "The Graduate Center is looking forward to exploring what we have accomplished, examining our needs, and working with the Middle States Commission throughout the accreditation process."