MSCHE Self-Study 2024 – 2025

Kingsborough Community College has begun the Self-Study process for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) re-accreditation process.

The purpose of the Self-Study is to:

Engage the institutional community in an inclusive and transparent self-appraisal process that actively and deliberately seeks to involve members from all areas of the institutional community
Utilize the findings from our self-study process to create an action plan for 2026-2030 that aligns with our strategic plan and CUNY’s master plan
Demonstrate how the institution currently meets the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation
Focus on continuous improvement in the attainment of the institution’s mission and its institutional priorities

As we work on the Self-Study report, we will be posting overviews of the standards for accreditation, information on the process, and executive summaries of Standard’s findings on our MSCHE Self-Study reporting site. You can access the site below:

MSCHE 2024 Self-Study

In order to demonstrate how Kingsborough meets the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation, it’s important to know what the Standards for Accreditation are. You can read more about them at the Middle States website. Keep an eye out here and in your emails to learn more about the Standards and our Self-Study Team’s evaluation of how well we are meeting them as a College. (NOTE: MSCHE has recently published a new set of Standards, the Fourteenth Edition. However, for our Self-Study we will be the in the last cohort to use the Thirteenth Edition).

Prior to conducting the Self-Study, the MSCHE Self-Study Steering Committee was asked to develop a strategy and design for the Self-Study, which is available for you to read. Kingsborough Community College 2024-25 Self-Study Design (SSD) In conducting the Self-Study, the College has assembled teams, known as Working Groups, which will review evidence related to each Standard for Accreditation set out by MSCHE. We encourage everyone to take some time to familiarize themselves with the Standards – and we will be making sure you have many opportunities to learn and talk with people who are experts on them!

To help us guide our work in a meaningful way, as we review the Standards we will also be focusing on how the College meets these four Institutional Priorities, which were developed by the Steering Committee and College leadership:

Student Success: Focus on providing high-quality innovative instruction that has demonstrated success among our student populations; offer an extensive array of opportunities and learning experiences to build skills needed to succeed in the workforce or transfer to a four-year college; emphasize the development of individualized and holistic supports to meet the unique needs of our urban community college student population.
Collaborative environment: Achieve a collaborative environment that includes all members of the community in order to break down silos between divisions through clear and consistent communication across the College; create opportunities for communication across divisions to ensure a seamless, holistic, supportive experience for students, faculty, and staff.
Data-informed processes and decision making: Strive for resilient and stable functioning in the face of COVID-19 and other enrollment- and funding-related challenges through collecting, sharing, and using data and assessment results to focus efforts on key strategic initiatives and ensure that they are effective; use our successes as a model to other community colleges in demonstrating how pedagogical and student support practices translate into student success.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Engage in enrollment and pedagogical practices designed to increase access and continued success in populations traditionally underrepresented in colleges (e.g., adults, minoritized groups); cultivate a campus community that not only strives to remove barriers but also actively seeks to include diverse voices, perspectives, and opportunities for current and prospective faculty, staff, and students.

These Institutional Priorities were developed as a way to help us make sure the self-study process informative and useful for us, so that we can use it to help showcase what makes KCC uniquely amazing and the special place to work or go to school that we all know it is, and to identify areas where we want to be able to better support our students, faculty, and staff.

What makes KCC great is our community. We know that is what sets us apart and makes us stand out! Going through this re-accreditation self-study process is important, reflective, and essential to the future success of KCC and our students. As we continue to do this work, it will take the involvement of the entire campus community and us all working together to make this a successful process. Keep checking this site (and checking your emails!) for opportunities to get involved.

Semester	Activities
Summer 2022
August 2022	Self-study co-chairs (Steering Committee) selected
Fall 2022- Winter 2023
October 2022- November 2022	A co-chair from each standard and the self-study core group attend the Middle States Institute (MSI) MSI attendees meet to review institute information and begin to formulate self-study work
December 2022- February 2023	Steering committee meets to develop institutional priorities and charges for working groups President Schrader hosts a kick-off breakfast for co-chairs to meet and receive input on self-study design work from Senior staff 1 and 2 MSCHE VP liaison scheduled for spring 2023 Co-chairs of each standard develop lines of inquiry and begin to identify evidence
Spring 2023
April 2023	Visit by MSCHE VP Liaison
May 2023	Approval of self-study design Self-study design communication plan is launched, including a self-study website Initial meeting of Working Groups to discuss charges and plan
Summer 2023
July-August 2023	Co-chairs work with Evidence Inventory Committee to compile evidence and prepare for review
Fall 2023
September 2023	College-wide kick off for self-study Working groups begin to meet regularly
October 2023	Meeting of steering committee and members of working groups, if available. Each group will be asked to report on their progress, any gaps in evidence they have identified and questions they might have.
Winter 2024
January 2024-February 2024	Co-chairs of working groups submit first draft of their self-study chapter by January 15 Core group reviews drafts Feedback is provided to the co-chairs
March 2024	Co-chairs meet with their working group to incorporate feedback
April 2024- May 2024	Co-chairs of working groups submit second draft of their self-study chapter by May 1.
Summer 2024
July- August 2024	Core group and steering committee compile, edit and prepare full self-study report
Fall 2024
September 2024- November 2024	College-wide town halls for input on the self-study
December 2024	Self-study report revised based on input received
Winter 2025
January 2025	President approves self-study report
February 2025	Self-study report submitted to MSCHE

The Steering Committee and Working Groups were selected in consultation with President Schrader, Provost Russell, Dean of Faculty Gordon Alley-Young, and members of the Steering Committee. The goal in creating the groups was to involve faculty and staff from across the College, ensuring that we have a good mix of areas of expertise and also are able to get a diverse set of perspectives.

The following individuals have been selected to serve on the MSCHE Steering Committee:

Standard/Role	Name	Title/Department
Steering Committee Core Group	Loretta Brancaccio-Taras (Co-chair)	Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
	Sarah Dillon (Co-chair)	Assistant Professor, Department of Art
	Colleen Davy	Dean of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Effectiveness/ALO
	Johana Rivera	Vice President for Enrollment Management
Standard 1: Mission & Goals	Jessica Cinelli	Grants and Program Development Specialist, Office of Workforce Development
Standard 1: Mission & Goals	Joan Zaloom	Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing
Standard 2: Ethics and Integrity	Cynthia Olvina	Administrative Specialist, Academic Affairs
Standard 2: Ethics and Integrity	Michael Sokolow	Associate Professor, Department of History, Philosophy, and Political Science
Standard 3: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience	Helen-Margaret Nasser	Director, Student Union & Intercultural Center
	Annie Del Principe	Professor, Department of English
Standard 4: Support of the Student Experience	Althea Maduramente	Director of Student Wellness Services
Standard 4: Support of the Student Experience	Daniel Kane	Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism & Hospitality
Standard 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment	Dorina Tila	Associate Professor, Department of Business
Standard 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment	Tziporah Stern	Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics
Standard 6: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement	Andres Escobar	Assistant Vice President of Finance and Business Operations
	Mary Ortiz	Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Standard 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration	Carey Manifold	Assistant Dean of Advisement
Standard 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration	Scott Cally	Professor, Department of Communications and Performing Arts
Evidence Inventory	Jonathan Cavalieri	Institutional Effectiveness Manager
Evidence Inventory	Linda McKernan	Special Projects Assistant

The Working Groups consist of the members of the Steering Committee and 5-10 people. The role of the Working Groups will be to evaluate evidence related to their Standard and use it to create a narrative explaining how KCC does (or does not!) meet the requirements of their Standard.

Standard 1: Mission & Goals Co-chairs: Jessica Cinelli, Grants and Program Development Specialist, Office of Workforce Development and Joan Zaloom Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing
Name	Title/Department
Mabel Chee	Director of Development
Shoshana Friedman	Associate Professor, Mathematics
Dawn Levy	Associate Professor, Business
Gavin Ireland	Director of Recruitment and International Student Affairs
Tracy Steffy	Assistant Professor, History, Philosophy, and Political Science
Standard 2: Ethics and Integrity Co-chairs: Cynthia Olvina, Administrative Specialist, Academic Affairs and Michael Sokolow Associate Professor, Department of History, Philosophy, and Political Science
Name	Title/Department
John Acosta	Professor, Communications and Performing Arts
Carlos Arguelles	Associate Professor and Chairperson, Library
Mary Dawson	Professor, Biological Sciences
Asif Hussain	Assistant Vice President for Information Technology
Avery Mullen	Registrar
Gila Rohr	Deputy Director of Human Resources
Tisha Ulmer	Assistant Professor, English
Shaune Wallace-Bostic	Diversity Specialist, Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity Management
Standard 3: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience Co-chairs: Annie Del Principe Professor, Department of English and Susan Lambert Instructional Designer, KCeL
Name	Title/Department
Karolina Bizik	Director of Continuing Education
Shawna Brandle	Professor, History, Philosophy, and Political Science
Evan Caccioppoli	Adjunct Assistant Professor, Communications and Performing Arts
Tyronne Johnson	Assistant Professor, Allied Health, Mental Health and Human Services
Alyse Keller	Associate Professor, Communications and Performing Arts
Vanda Seward	Assistant Professor, Behavioral Sciences
Dawn Taitt	Adjunct Lecturer, Music
Standard 4: Support of the Student Experience Co-chairs: Daniel Kane, Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism & Hospitality and Althea Maduramente, Director of Student Wellness Services
Name	Title/Department
Laura Armour	Administrative Specialist, Access-Ability Services
Nefer Bovea	Associate Director, ASAP
Seanna Carter	Registrar Specialist
Ruben Landaverde	Financial Aid Specialist
Melissa Merced	Director of Student Life
Paula Risolo	Senior Academic Advisor, Health Sciences & STEM Academy
Mary Shannon	Assistant Professor, Nursing
Standard 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment Dorina Tila, Associate Professor, Department of Business and Tziporah Stern, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
Name	Title/Department
Sarah Bradwisch	Professor, Nursing
Amanda Kalin	Director of Curriculum Development & Program Planning
Jonathan Cavalieri	Institutional Effectiveness Manager
Ryan McKinney	Professor, Communications and Performing Arts
Kristin Polizzotto	Professor, Biological Sciences
Penny Soden	Perkins Grant Officer
Karimah Ellis	Director, Liberal Arts Academy
Standard 6: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement Andres Escobar, Assistant Vice President of Finance and Business Operations and Mary Ortiz Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Name	Title/Department
Wendy Chu	Assistant Professor, Library
Tom Eaton	Assistant Professor, Art
Erica Levy	Director of Admissions
Paul Ricciardi	Professor, Communications and Performing Arts
Peter Santiago	Student Psychological Counselor, Access-Ability Services
Jacob Segal	Professor and Chairperson, History, Philosophy, and Political Science
Joseph Velez	Academic Affairs Budget Manager
Standard 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration Scott Cally, Professor, Department of communications and Performing Arts and Carey Manifold, Assistant Dean of Advisement
Name	Title/Department
Aba Agolli	Interim Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations
Jennifer Corby	Assistant Professor, History, Philosophy, and Political Science
Celeste Creegan	Higher Education Officer, Director of Environmental Health and Safety
Carlos de Cuba	Associate Professor, Communications & Performing Arts
Mark Eaton	Associate Professor, Library
Barbara Fairweather	Administrative Manager, Academic Affairs
Matthew Gartner	Professor, English
Jason Leggett	Assistant Professor, Behavioral Sciences
John Mikalopas	Professor and Chairperson, Physical Sciences
Evidence Inventory Linda McKernan, Special Projects Assistant Jonathan Cavalieri, Institutional Effectiveness Manager
Name	Title/Department
Michael Rosson	Professor, Library

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 KCC 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?

KCC 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: Linda.mckernan@kbcc.cuny.edu

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MSCHE Self-Study 2024 – 2025