MSCHE President's Welcome

Welcome! We are grateful you are joining the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for our first virtual MSCHE 2021 Annual Conference: New Horizons for Higher Education. 

While we wished that we could all be together in person, this year’s Annual Conference offered in an all-virtual format is to protect the health and safety of our attendees and all involved as the pandemic continues to impact large gatherings. Our planning group has been working hard to construct a program that will be engaging, informative, and celebratory. I know that you join me in sharing appreciation for everyone who contributed to the program. 

But no matter where we are and how we gather, our focus at the Conference is to highlight the exceptional work of the higher education community across our membership. As you are aware, the MSCHE Annual Conference is traditionally the largest event that we host for our more than 520 domestic and international institutions. This premiere event will place you as an attendee among a large, diverse group of individuals in the higher education industry that includes presidents, provosts, chief academic officers, chief financial officers, directors of student assessment, institutional researchers, faculty, system colleagues, and others interested in higher education issues. The Annual Conference is also the opportunity for us to gather with our Commissioners and peer evaluators, the backbone of our accreditation activities, and our Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALOs) who keep us connected as the primary point of contact at each of our institutions. 

While the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis continues to reverberate through higher education, institutions are also on the forefront of simultaneously confronting social justice issues and growing economic uncertainty. We are proud of this year’s conference program which will highlight innovative and adaptive ideas, practices, and outcomes from member institutions that address the many critical issues facing higher education. Our Commission’s commitment to self-reflection and continuous improvement remains steadfast. Institutions continue to proactively experiment and incubate innovative methods, practices, and services while balancing an intentional and strategic approach toward change that ultimately lends to student success and the Commission’s mission. 

We appreciate you spending time with us over the course of the conference, as we hear from thought leaders in higher education, experts from our member institutions, and sponsors who will share information about products and services relevant to the work at our institutions.  

Please remember to join your colleagues at the breakout sessions and look for the listening session on the assessment of our mission statement and the Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation.     

Again, thank you for joining us. Enjoy the conference.

Heather F. Perfetti, J.D., Ed.D.
President, Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Silver Sponsors

MSCHE Annual Conference Planning

MSCHE Organizers

• Victoria Clark, Director for Conferences and Educational Programs
• Christina D’Argenio,  Executive Assistant to the President and Manager of Commission Relations
• Christy Faison,  Senior Vice President for Accreditation Relations
• Brian Kirschner, Senior Director for Communications and Public Relations
• Heather Perfetti, President
• Stephen Pugliese, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff

Program Committee/Reviewers

• Kushnood Haq, Vice President for Institutional Field Relations, MSCHE
• COL (R) Gerald Kobylski, MSCHE Commissioner and Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Professor of Mathematical Sciences, U.S. Military Academy
• Kathy Ortiz, Senior Accreditation Services Coordinator, MSCHE
• Scott Schaeffer, MSCHE Commissioner and Associate Vice President for STEM and Health Professions, Jefferson Community College
• Paul Starkey, Vice President for Institutional Field Relations, MSCHE