Self-Study 2025-2027

Gratz College is currently working with Middle States Commission on Higher Education (Middle States) for renewing our accreditation. While it is a requirement for the college in order to be eligible to give Title IV funds, it is an important opportunity for the college stakeholders to take time to self-reflect on what we do well and on what we can improve.

The two-year process is guided by the seven standards that Middle States uses to assess the schools under their jurisdiction (see below). This page will be used to inform the Gratz Community about the study throughout the process. We will be building out a Frequently Asked Questions section as questions come in. Please send any questions to accreditation@gratz.edu.

More Information

Standards

STANDARD I: MISSION AND 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 AND 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 AND 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, AND 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 a related entity, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

Timeline

Self-Study Timeline

Academic Year: 2024-2025

September-November	Attend Self-Study Institute
December	Assign Steering Committee chairs and members Meet with MSCHE staff liaison
January	Assign Working Groups Prepare Self-Study Design Meet with working group chairs and members
February	Submit Self-Study Design Working Groups determine Lines of Inquiry and submit to Steering Committee
March-June	Host Commission staff liaison Resubmit Self-Study with requested revisions Steering Committee members meet with working group chairs Working Groups begin to meet and discuss Lines of Inquiry
July-August	Working Groups begin gathering evidence for each standard

Academic Year: 2025-2026

September-December	Working Groups continue to gather, analyze and organize evidence
January	Working Groups present first draft Stakeholders provide feedback
February	Team chair nominations sent
April	Working Groups present second draft Stakeholders provide feedback
May	Team chair confirmed

Academic Year: 2026-2027

September-November	Self-Study draft sent to team chair Team chair visit
December-January	Self-Study uploaded Evidence uploaded
February-April	Evaluation Team visits
April-May	Team evaluation received Institutional response submitted
June	Commission meets to determine action

Steering Committee

Full Name	Title	Department
Scott Minkoff, M.A.*, Co-Chair	Director of Information Technology	Information Technology
Jade Jackman, B.S.*, Co-Chair	Registrar	Registrar's Office
Honour Moore, Ed.D.*, Co-Chair	Dean, Director of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, Associate Professor of Education	Academics
Tom Cipriano, B.S.	Manager of Business Operations and Facilities	Business Office
Donna Guerin, Ed.D.	Director of Libraries and Learning Resources	Library
Ruth Sandberg, Ph.D.	Leonard and Ethel Landau Professor of Rabbinics, Title IX Coordinator	Academics

Working Groups

Working Group 1 (Standards 1 & 2)

Full Name	Title	Department
Ruth Sandberg, Ph.D., Chair	Leonard and Ethel Landau Professor of Rabbinics, Title IX Coordinator	Academics
Adrienne Nolan, M.A.	Assistant Director of Enrollment Management	Enrollment Management
Ayal Feinberg, Ph.D.	Director of Center for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights, Associate Professor of Political Science & Antisemitism Studies, Senior Strategist for Government Affairs	Academics
Daniel Levitt, Rabbi	Director of the Daniel and Louise Cohen Adult Jewish Learning	Adult Learning
Debbie Aron, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.	Director of Nonprofit Management	Academics
Mindy Cohen, M.A.	Events Coordinator	Advancement
Sheila Stevens, B.A.	Business Office Administrative Support, Collections/Circulation Assistant	Business Office, Library

Working Group 2 (Standards 3 & 4)

Full Name	Title	Department
Philip Moore, M.F.A., Ed.D., Chair	Director of Graduate Education Programs, Associate Professor of Education	Academics
Dwayne Gable	Help Desk Technician	Information Technology
Hope Matles	Administrative Assistant	Registrar's Office
Jennifer Marlow, Ph.D.	Adjunct Faculty, Holocaust and Genocide Studies	Academics
Karen West, B.A.	Student Billing	Business Office
Mindy Blechman, M.A.J.S.	Associate Director of Enrollment Management	Enrollment Management
Robert McGregor, M.A.	Director of Online Learning	Academics

Working Group 3 (Standard 5)

Full Name	Title	Department
Donna Guerin, Ed.D., Chair	Director of Libraries and Learning Resources	Library
Anthony DePaul, M.B.A.	Project Manager, Business Process Manager	Information Technology
Brendan Goldman, Ph.D.	Dr. Saul Phillip Wachs Chair of Jewish Life and Learning, Director of Jewish Studies Programs	Academics
Jade Jackman, B.S.	Registrar	Registrar's Office
Karen Galardi, Ed.D.	Adjunct Faculty, Education	Academics
Lovisa Woodson	Records Coordinator	Registrar's Office

Working Group 4 (Standard 6)

Full Name	Title	Department
Allison Resnick, M.Ed., Chair	Chief Operating Officer
Elizabeth Japha, M.L.I.S.	Digital Archivist	Digital Scholarship
Lori Cohen, B.F.A.	Director of Marketing and Design	Marketing
Ross Holgado, C.P.A.	Manager of Financial Reporting	Business Office
Scott Minkoff, M.A.	Director of Information Technology	Information Technology
Suzette Martinez-Quiles, M.B.A.	Manager of Information Technology, Director of Campus Security	Information Technology
Tricia Dressel, M.S.	Adjunct Faculty, Nonprofit Management	Academics

Working Group 5 (Standard 7)

Full Name	Title	Department
Naomi Housman, Ed.M., Chair	Director of Institutional Advancement, ADA Coordinator	Advancement
Alison Joseph, Ph.D.	Director of Digital Scholarship, Associate Professor of Bible	Digital Scholarship
Honour Moore, Ed.D.	Dean, Director of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership	Academics
Joe Weinstein-Sears, Ed.D.	Adjunct Faculty, Education	Academics
Tom Cipriano, B.S.	Manager of Business Operations and Facilities	Business Office

Visits

April 8, 2025 - Visit with Michael Bowden

Time	Meeting	Location
8:45-9:00 AM	Steering Committee Co-Chairs	President’s Office
9:00-9:30 AM	President	President’s Office
9:45-11:15 AM	Steering Committee + Working Group Chairs	Board Room
1:00-1:45 PM	Board of Governors	Board Room Zoom
2:00-3:00 PM	Staff, Faculty and Students	Board Room Zoom
3:15-3:45 PM	Exit Session: Steering Committee + Working Group Chairs	Board Room