Institutional Effectiveness and Loyola's Self-Study: 2019-2021

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education and Standards for Accreditation

Loyola University Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), located at 1007 North Orange Street, 4th Floor, MB #166, Wilmington, DE 19801 (telephone 267-284-5011). MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

The Commission, through the accreditation process, requires that member institutions, such as Loyola, meet rigorous and comprehensive Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation. These standards and requirements are addressed in the context of each institution’s own mission, within the culture of ethical practices and institutional integrity expected of accredited colleges and universities.

More information about these standards and requirements is available on the Commission’s website.

2028 Self-Study Process

In the fall of 2025 Loyola enterd a three-year phase of self-study to reaffirm our accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The self-study is a mandatory periodic process that reaffirms—for ourselves, the higher education community, and the public—that we meet shared standards of quality, rigor, ethics, integrity, and effectiveness in our mission and goals.

The Committee on Institutional Effectiveness, a standing committee of the Loyola Conference, will expand to address all Middle States standards and expectations and will serve as the steering committee and work groups of the self-study.

Timeline

Fall 2025 - Spring 2026	Confirm Working Groups Design the Self-Study Document Host Self-Study Preparation Visit
Spring 2026 - Fall 2027	Gather and Evaluate Evidence Write Self-Study Report
Spring 2028	Finalize and Approve Self-Study Report Host Team Chair Preliminary Visit
Summer 2028	Submit Self-Study Report & Evidence
Fall 2028	Host Site Visit

Middle States Steering Committee

Kerry Boeye	Chair of the Faculty and Associate Professor of Art History	Co-chair
Tracey Frey	Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectivesness and Academic Assessment	Co-chair
Steph Brizee	Senior Advisor to the President	Chair, Standard 1 - Mission & Goals
Emily Calderone	Associate Vice President for Student Development	Chair, Standard 4 - Support of the Student Experience
Stephanie Coldren	Chief of Staff	Chair, Standard 7 - Governance Leadership & Administration
Cyndy Cowles	Executive Assistant	Member, Logistics & Communications
Theresa DiDonato	Associate Dean of the Social Sciences and Graduate Programs in LCAS	Chair, Standard 3 – Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
Gabe Gómez	Class of 2026	At large undergraduate student representative
Yolopattli Hernández-Torres	Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies	Co-chair, Standard 5 – Educational Effectiveness Assessment
Kristy Michel	Vice President for Finance and Administration/Treasurer	Chair, Standard 6 – Planning Resources and Institutional Improvement
Rodney Parker	Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer	Co-chair, Standard 5 – Educational Effectiveness Assessment
Jess Smith	Assistant Vice President of Strategic Transformation	Chair, Logistics & Communications
Dave Tiscione	Director of Title IX, Compliance & Assessment	Chair, Standard 2 – Ethics & Integrity
TBD - Staff or administrator		Chair, Evidence Collection and Curation

Middle States Working Groups

Standard 1 - Mission & Goals

Chair:Steph Brizee, Senior Advisor to the President

Members:

• Milton Bravo, Vice President for Mission and Identity
• Faculty Representation TBD
• Jesuit Representation TBD

Standard 2 - Ethics & Integrity

Chair:  Dave Tiscione, Director of Title IX, Compliance & Assessment

Members:

• Tiffany Akers, Program Director for Contracts and Risk Management
• Joseph Farrell, Associate Teaching Professor, Philosophy
• Brian Gallagher, Assistant Dean of Graduate Enrollment and Director of Graduate Admission
• Jennifer Louden, Associate Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate Admission

Standard 3 - Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience

Chair:  Theresa DiDonato, Associate Dean of the Social Sciences and Graduate Programs in LCAS

Members:

• Hun-bin Ding, Associate Dean of Sellinger School of Business and Management
• Stephen Lloyd, Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Theology
• Beth Kotchick, Interim Associate Provost and Dean of Graduate Education
• David Marcovitz, Associate Dean of the School of Education
• Matthew Mulcahy, Associate Dean of the Humanities and the Core Curriculum
• Bahram Roughani, Associate Dean of the Natural and Applied Sciences
• Eva Sedgwick, Associate Vice President for Faculty Success

Standard 4 - Support of the Student Experience

Chair:  Emily Calderone, Associate Vice President for Student Development

Members:

• Colleen Campbell, Director of Student-Athlete Support Services
• Deanna Cyran, Senior Director of Financial Aid
• Justine Khadduri, Director of Learning Support
• Jason Parcover, Assistant Vice President for Student Wellbeing
• Mike Puma, Dean of Undergraduate Studies

Standard 5 - Educational Effectivesness Assessment

Co-chairs:

• Rodney Parker, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer
• Yoloppattli Hernandez-Torres, Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies

Members:

• Leah Saal, Co-director, Professor, Literacy Education Programs
• Christina Spearman, Assistant Vice President for Career Development
• Sarah Winger, Research and Assisessment Analyst
• Student Representative TBD

Standard 6 - Planning, Resources & Institutional Improvement

Chair:  Kristy Michel, Vice President for Finance and Administration/Treasurer

Members:

• Pat Cassidy, Representative of President's Council on Equity & Inclusion
• Sean Francis, Associate Vice President for Budget and Business Planning
• Jill Hecklinger, Associate Vice President for Financial Services/Controller
• Mark Hubbard, Executive in Residence of Management, Sellinger
• Marcia Preston, Assistant Director for Institutional Research
• Meredith Sullivan, Director for Project Mangement Design & Construction
• Staff Member, TBD from Staff Council

Standard 7 - Governance, Leadership & Administration

Chair:  Stephanie Coldren, Chief of Staff

Members:

• Kim Derrickson, Associate Provost
• Yu Stearns, Associate Professor, Modern Languages and Literatures
• Kristi Yowell, Chief People and Culture Officer, Associate Vice President for Human Resources

Evidence, Collection & Curation

Chair:  TBD

Members:

• Krysten Fertonardo, Assistant Director of Budgets, Data & Operations, LCAS
• Danielle Whren Johnson, Copyright and Scholarly Communication Librarian, LNDL
• Heather Moore, Assistant Dean, School of Education
• Michelle Radowich, Assistant Director Strategic Transformation

Logistics & Communications

Chair:  Jess Smith, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Transformation

Members:

• Joe Bradley, Executive Director for Event & Conference Services
• Rita Buettner, Director for University Communitations
• Cyndy Cowles, Executive Assistant
• Heather Kavanaugh, Director for Academic Events

Self-Study Design Document

Will be posted when available.