Middle States Accreditation

To maintain Middle States accreditation, every eight years the college is required to undergo a self-study process that culminates in a site visit by a Middle States peer-review team. The self-study process provides the campus community the opportunity to examine how well the college is fulfilling its mission, goals and objectives, to demonstrate its strengths, identify weaknesses and recommend strategies to address them. The self-study process enables the campus to take an honest inventory of the college and to develop a strengths-based focus on continuous and consistent improvement.

Self-Study Process Timeline

Summer 2020

• Co-Chairs and Core Group identified
• Working Group Chairs/Co-Chairs identified
• Working Group Recruitment Begins

Fall 2020

• Working Groups established
• Self Study Design begins development
• Working Groups begin working

Spring 2021

• Self Study Approved by Middle States
• Draft shared with Campus Community
• Communications Plan
• Working Groups continue work

Summer 2021

• Working Groups Gather Evidence
• Evidence Library Developed
• Criteria and Lines of Inquiry Standardized
• HVCC Middle States Website Launched

Fall 2021

• Principal Meetings with Working Groups
• Continued Study and Involvement of Campus Community

Spring 2022

• Working Groups write their portions of Self Study
• Updates of evidence, statistics and surveys

Summer 2022

• Working Groups wrap up work
• Core Group works on final document

Fall 2022

• Sharing Draft with Campus Community
• Forums and Review
• Self Study Completed and Submitted

Spring 2023

• Middle States Site Visit

2023 Self-Study Institutional Priorities

1. Increase Student Achievement Hudson Valley’s first priority is to increase student achievement. Through an objective and honest self-examination of the complete student experience, inclusive of academic and support programming, administrative services, and co- and extra-curricular activities, the college will use the results to improve retention rates, graduation rates, transfer rates, and employment rates. In addition, Hudson Valley is striving to narrow the achievement gaps of students from underrepresented groups and to provide the best student experience possible for all students.
2. Enhance Academic Excellence Hudson Valley acknowledges that the foundation of the student experience is built on the college’s academic quality. As the college endeavors to continually improve academic programming and services, it seeks to use assessment data as effectively as possible including program learning outcomes achievement, Institutional Student Learning Outcomes and General Education outcomes, and the Five-Year Program Review process. Moreover, the college looks to expand professional development opportunities in support of innovative and effective teaching and learning and leadership skills.
3. Broaden Community Engagement and Expand Partnerships Being an integral part of the local and regional community, Hudson Valley continually seeks to maintain and develop strong alliances with SUNY and Rensselaer County and the college’s numerous community partners. The college is committed to developing relevant programming to meet community, regional, state and global employment needs and to expand internship and employment opportunities with business, industry, and government agencies.
4. Cultivate Campus Culture Hudson Valley recognizes the importance of campus culture to the student experience and to the college community overall. The college’s goal is to ensure all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors feel welcomed, valued, and respected. However, the college is aware the campus culture needs improvement based on the student opinion survey and employee satisfaction survey assessment results. The college is looking to further cultivate inclusivity, transparency, communication, shared governance, and civility. Hudson Valley strives and aspires to heighten awareness and understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion to help foster respect among all campus community members.

2023 Self-Study Intended Outcomes

The intended outcomes of the Hudson Valley Community College’s transparent, inclusive Self Study Process are as follows:

1. Demonstrate how Hudson Valley currently meets and exceeds the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation and verify compliance with accreditation relevant Federal Regulations.
2. Gain a clearer understanding of, and document, the systemic inter-relationships of the college’s mission, goals, and objectives, its assessment, budget, and planning processes, and its academic and non-academic programs.
3. Provide opportunities for members of the wider campus community to participate in an inclusive, transparent, and honest self-appraisal process with the goal of making Hudson Valley Community College a stronger and more responsive institution.
4. Demonstrate the strength of Hudson Valley’s academic programming, support services, extra- and co-curricular activities, and administrative units; identify Hudson Valley’s challenges, weaknesses, concerns and opportunities; and recommend strategies to address and improve them.
5. Focus on continuous improvement in the assessment of the college’s efforts to fulfill the Mission, Goals, and Objectives and Institutional Priorities

The Self-Study Design is a document developed by the institution to serve as a guide for the self-study process. It serves several purposes, including the following:

• Serves as a blueprint for the self-study process, including the final Self-Study Report.
• Enables the Steering Committee and its Working Groups to conceptualize and organize tasks relevant to self-study.
• After completion and acceptance of the Self-Study Design by the Commission staff liaison, members of the Steering Committee and Working Groups can refer to it to gauge progress and to ensure that the objectives contained in the Self-Study Design are being met.

The college’s 2023 Self-Study Design Proposal (PDF), originally submitted on April 27, was re-submitted on June 1, 2021 and received approval from the college's Middle States Liaison on June 4, 2021.

The core group will lead the college’s Middle States Self Study initiative in an inclusive, transparent and meaningful process that will involve the efforts, expertise and collaboration of the entire campus community.

Each standard has its own working group, comprised of two co-chairs and members of the campus community representative of faculty, administration, staff and students. The seven working groups, guided by the principles of transparency and continuous improvement, will demonstrate through evidence-based presentation and analysis that Hudson Valley meets or exceeds the expectation of the Middles States Standards. 

The Institutional Compliance Team was assembled, with members possessing specialized knowledge in compliance. The creation of this team coincided with the start of the self-study process, but the Institutional Compliance Team is an enduring body which will continue to coordinate and ensure compliance across the college for many years forward.

Core Team

• Dr. Margaret Geehan, Dean of Institutional Assessment, Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO), Co-chair
• James Macklin, Office of Research and Planning
• Kathleen Petley, Executive Director for Institutional Effectiveness
• Joseph Stenard, Professor of Economics, Co-chair

Co-Chairs of Standard I: Mission and Goals

• Vaidehi Agashe, Director of Planning and Research
• James Macklin, Planning and Research

Co-Chairs of Standard II: Ethics and Integrity

• Dr. Linda Lim, Faculty, Engineering, Architecture, Construction, and Mathematics
• Daniel O’Connor, Adjunct Faculty, Education and Social Sciences

Co-Chairs of Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience

• Dr. Nicole Arduini-Van Hoose, Faculty, Education and Social Sciences
• Anthony Podlaski, Faculty, English, Foreign Language, and English as a Second Language

Co-Chairs of Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience

• Dr. Gayle Healy, Director of the Center for Careers and Transfer
• Matthew Howe, Director of Retention and Student Outreach

Co-Chairs of Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment

• Margaret Mann, Accreditation and Assessment Analyst
• Dr. Mark Stephens, Faculty, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics

Co-Chairs of Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement

• Patricia Gaston, Director of Business Services
• Dennis Wax, Director of Strategic Planning

Co-Chairs of Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration

• Vacant
• Ainsley Thomas, Chief Diversity Officer

Working Group Membership of Standard I: Mission and Goals

• Vaidehi Agashe, Director of Planning and Research (Co-Chair)
• James Macklin, Planning and Research (Co-Chair)
• Cheryl Beauchamp, Director of Grants
• Marianne Belles, Faculty, Dental Hygiene
• Reese Harrison, Student
• Roman Tarbay, Research Analyst, Research and Planning
• Laura Tubbs, Faculty, Dental Hygiene
• Dr. Robert (Sid) Whitaker, Faculty, Education and Social Sciences

Working Group Membership of Standard II: Ethics and Integrity

• Dr. Linda Lim, Faculty, Engineering, Architecture, Construction, and Mathematics (Co-Chair)
• Dan O’Connell, Faculty, Education and Social Sciences (Co-Chair)
• Gaspar Castillo, Adjunct Faculty, Business, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice
• Brian Farr, Faculty, Human Services and Chemical Dependency Counseling
• Kathleen Haynes, Program Assistant, Education and Social Sciences
• Monica Hughes, Academic Advisor, Business Advisement Center
• Jena Iversen, RDH BA, Adjunct Faculty, Dental Hygiene Department
• Christina Kelly, Athletic and Recreation Supervisor & Adjunct Faculty, Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Studies
• Dennis Kennedy, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
• James Perez, Electrician, Grounds Department
• Jeffrey Schoonmaker, Faculty (Retired), Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
• Logan Simms, Student
• John Staerker, Technical Assistant Learning Resources, Library
• Patricia Myers (Member 2020-2021)

Working Group Membership of Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience

• Dr. Nicole Arduini-VanHoose, Faculty, Education and Social Sciences (Co-Chair)
• Anthony Podlaski, Faculty, English, Foreign Language, and English as a Second Language (Co-Chair)
• Douglas Baxter, Faculty, Engineering, Architecture, Construction, and Mathematics
• Rachel Bornn, Faculty, English, Foreign Language, and English as a Second Language
• Tara Bocketti, Director of Community and Professional Education
• Margaret Ewart-Zapp, Department Chair, Medical Imaging
• Peter Fil, Faculty, Applied Technologies
• Sandra Gepfert, Faculty, Medical Imaging
• Brenda Hazard, Director, Library
• Megan McGreevy, Technical Assistant, New Student Orientation
• Carol Meyer, Coordinator of Instructional Services, EOC
• Aaron Nooney, Education Specialist, Learning Centers
• Danica Nowosielski, Faculty, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
• Denise Pickering, Faculty, Human Services and Chemical Dependency Counseling
• Theresa Powers, Faculty, Engineering, Construction, and Mathematics
• Casey Ryan, Faculty, Business, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice
• Trevor Radez, Student

Working Group Membership of Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience

• Dr. Gayle Healy, Director of the Center for Careers and Transfer, Adjunct Faculty (Co-Chair)
• Matthew Howe, Director, Retention and Student Outreach (Co-Chair)
• Fred Aliberti, Director, Public Safety
• Aimee Bastian, Assistant Director, Financial Aid
• MaryKate Kraus, Director of High School Programs/Educational Outreach
• Ian LaChance, Registrar
• Casey Lensink, Academic Advisement Services Manager - Business Advisement Center, Adjunct Faculty
• Kailey Loucks, Director of First Year Experience and Orientation Programs
• Doreen McGreevy, Academic Coach, Center for Academic Engagement
• Julie Panzanaro, Director of Admissions
• Adam Sopris, Assistant Athletic Director, Athletic Department
• Kimberly Williams, Academic Advisor – Liberal Arts and General Studies Department
• Lisandra Williams, Student
• Dr. Elizabeth Yanoff, Department Chair – Education and Social Sciences

Working Group Membership of Standard V: Assessment of Educational Effectiveness

• Margaret Mann, Accreditation and Assessment Analyst (Co-Chair)
• Dr. Mark Stephens, Faculty, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics (Co-Chair)
• Dr. Michelle Bannoura, Faculty, Education and Social Sciences
• Wendy Carpenter, Assistant Coordinator of Student Services-Testing, EOC
• Colleen Ferris, Department Chair, Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Studies
• Andrea Heroux, Adjunct Faculty, Dental Hygiene
• Antoinette Howard, Adjunct Faculty, Teacher Preparation Department
• Tatianna Moragne, Student
• Marcy Pendergast, Director of College Learning Centers
• Andrew Roberts, Director of Center for Academic Engagement
• Deb Shoemaker, Associate Dean of Community and Educational Partnerships
• Savanah Shulkin, Student
• Kelly Smith, Adjunct Faculty, Dental Hygiene
• Brian Vlieg, Academic Advisor, Criminal Justice

Working Group Membership of Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement

• Patricia Gaston, Director of Business Services (Co-chair)
• Dennis Wax, Director of Strategic Planning (Co-chair)
• Larry Amos, Principal Stores Clerk
• Elissa Baker, Senior Instructional Designer
• John Braungard, Comptroller
• Tammy Conway, Department Chair, Dental Hygiene
• Peter Gemellaro, Retired Faculty, Adjunct, Criminal Justice
• Carol Hammond, Professor/Ed Spec Learning Centers
• Taunya Hannibal-Williams, Community Outreach Specialist, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Crystal Heshmat, Facility Documents/Records Manager
• Amy Keegan-Hughes, Associate for Academic Planning, Assessment, Research and Accreditation, Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs
• Frank Montanaro, Application Specialist, Information Technology Services
• John Mulcare, Faculty, Business, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice
• Gina Ricci, Director of Budget
• Kate Teal, Secretary II, Human Resources

Working Group Membership of  Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration

• Vacant (Co-chair)
• Ainsley Thomas, Chief Diversity Officer (Co-chair)
• Joel Glickman (Co-Chair 2020-2021) 
• Shawna-Kay Addison, Faculty, Business, Computer Science, Criminal Justice
• Donal Christian, Chief Fiscal Officer and Interim Vice President of Administration
• Mark Gregory, Graphics and Printing Specialist
• Pamela Harris, Assistant Coordinator Student Services - College and Career Services, EOC
• Antoine Johnson, Program Assistant, Academics
• Suzanne Kalkbrenner, Executive Assistant to the President/Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees
• Angela O’Neal, Major Gifts and Planned Giving Officer
• Dr. Chong Hwan Son, Faculty, Education and Social Sciences
• Carina Teator, Technical Assistant, Workforce Development

Institutional Compliance Team

• Ian LaChance, Registrar  (Co-chair)
• Kathleen Petley, Executive Director for Institutional Effectiveness  (Co-chair)
• John Braungard, Comptroller
• Heather Henry, Director of Financial Aid
• Meg Mann, Accreditation and Assessment Analyst
• DeAnne Martocci, Director of the Center for Access and Assistive Technology
• Dave TenEyck, Faculty representative
• Paul Swieton, Director of Environmental Health and Safety

Support Staff

• Website Content Publisher: Sandi Eyerman
• Middle States Scribe: Caitlyn Gerardi

Middle States accredited institutions are expected to demonstrate compliance with the following seven accrediting standards:

• Standard I. Mission & Goals
  The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.
• Standard II. Ethics & Integrity
  Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.
• Standard III. Design & Delivery of the Student learning Experience
  An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.
• Standard IV. Support of the Student Experience
  Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.
• Standard V. Educational Effectiveness Assessment
  Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.
• Standard VI. Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
  The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.
• Standard VII. Governance, Leadership, & Administration
  The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

For a complete explanation of the seven standards used by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, please consult their website at www.msche.org/standards.