Delaware College of Art and Design

Phase: Formerly Accredited
Status: Approved Institutional Closure
Candidacy Granted: January 1, 2003
Accreditation Granted: March 13, 2008
Accreditation Ceased: January 31, 2025

On May 28, 2024, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) acknowledged receipt of Delaware College of Art and Design's intention to cease instruction at all locations on July 31, 2024. Accreditation for the institution and all of its locations ceased, effective January 31, 2025. As of February 1, 2025, Delaware College of Art and Design will no longer be accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education www.msche.org.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has approved teach-out agreements with (1) Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, Lancaster, PA; and (2) Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA.

Students can obtain historical records and transcripts from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, 204 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17608.

For more information, please refer to the Delaware College of Art and Design FAQ.

Accreditation Actions

January 17, 2025
Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to acknowledge receipt of the supplemental information report requested by the Commission action of November 1, 2024. To note that accreditation will cease on January 31, 2025. As of February 1, 2025, Delaware College of Art and Design will no longer be accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education.
January 17, 2025
Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to acknowledge receipt of the updated teach-out plan requested by the Commission action of November 1, 2024. To approve the teach-out plan. To note that accreditation will cease on January 31, 2025. As of February 1, 2025, Delaware College of Art and Design will no longer be accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education.
November 1, 2024
To note that the Commission liaison guidance visit did not occur because the institution is closing. To note that accreditation will cease on January 31, 2025. As of February 1, 2025, Delaware College of Art and Design will no longer be accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education.
November 1, 2024
Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to acknowledge receipt of the supplemental information report requested by the Commission action of June 20, 2024. To request a supplemental information report due November 22, 2024, providing (1) evidence of fiscal and human resources adequate to support its closure operations beyond July 31, 2024 (Standard VI); (2) an update on the orderly closure of the institution (Requirement of Affiliation 2; Substantive Change Policy and Procedures); and (3) written evidence of review, including but not limited to approval of or a determination that the entity has declined to review the transaction, from all outstanding required licensing, regulatory, or other legal entities as necessary, including the United States Department of Education (USDE) (Standard II and Substantive Change Policy and Procedures). To remind the institution of its obligation to inform the Commission immediately about any and all significant developments that may impact the institution's closure. To note that accreditation will cease on January 31, 2025. As of February 1, 2025, Delaware College of Art and Design will no longer be accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education.
June 20, 2024
To acknowledge receipt of the substantive change request for institutional closure requested by the Commission action of May 28, 2024. To include the institutional closure within the institution's scope of accreditation. To note the institution's decision to close while on probation. To note the institution will close on July 31, 2024. To require notification to the Commission verifying the date of closure of the institution by email to [email protected]. To request a supplemental information report due July 5, 2024, providing (1) evidence of fiscal and human resources adequate to support its closure operations beyond July 31, 2024 (Standard VI); (2) an update on the orderly closure of the institution (Requirement of Affiliation 2; Substantive Change Policy and Procedures); and (3) written evidence of review, including but not limited to approval of or a determination that the entity has declined to review the transaction, from all outstanding required licensing, regulatory, or other legal entities as necessary, including the United States Department of Education (USDE) (Standard II and Substantive Change Policy and Procedures). To remind the institution of its obligation to inform the Commission immediately about any and all significant developments that may impact the institution's closure. To note that the monitoring report is no longer due because the institution is closing. To note that accreditation will cease on January 31, 2025. As of February 1, 2025, Delaware College of Art and Design will no longer be accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education.
June 20, 2024
To acknowledge receipt of the teach-out plan and teach-out agreements requested by the Commission action of May 28, 2023. To approve the teach-out agreements with: (1) Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, Lancaster, PA; and (2) Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA. To note that the institution will close effective July 31, 2024. To require that the institution complete and submit for approval, by July 5, 2024, an updated, comprehensive, and implementable teach-out plan documenting evidence that Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, Lancaster, PA has been designated as the final repository of all Delaware College of Art and Design student records (Teach-Out Plans and Agreements Policy and Procedures). To require notification when student records have been transferred to Pennsylvania College of Art & Design by email to [email protected].
May 28, 2024
To acknowledge receipt of the institution's notification on May 22, 2024, of its intention to cease instruction at all locations on July 31, 2024. To require that the institution submit a substantive change request for institutional closure by June 7, 2024, as required by the Commission's Substantive Change Policy, Procedures, and Guidelines. To note that the comprehensive, implementable teach-out plan and signed teach-out agreements are now due June 7, 2024. To remind the institution of its obligation to plan for orderly closure. To remind the institution of its obligation to inform the Commission of its status with local, state, and federal agencies and other relevant agencies, including programmatic accreditors. To remind the institution of its obligation to inform the Commission immediately about any and all significant developments relevant to this action (Standard VII). To note that the due date of the monitoring report will be determined based on the institutional closure.
May 16, 2024
To note that the report and teach-out plan and agreements requested by the Commission action of April 25, 2024, are now due on July 15, 2024.
April 25, 2024
To acknowledge receipt of the self-study report. To note the on-site evaluation visit by the Commission's representatives to the main campus at 600 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 on March 24-27, 2024. To place the institution on probation and note that the institution's accreditation is in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that the institution is currently in compliance with Standard VI (Resources, Planning, and Institutional Improvement). To note that the institution remains accredited while on probation. To note further that federal regulations limit the period during which an institution may be in non-compliance, which starts on April 25, 2024. To request a monitoring report, due July 1, 2024, demonstrating evidence that the institution has achieved and can sustain ongoing compliance with Standard VI, including but not limited to (1) it can sustain itself in the short or long term and is not at risk of imminent closure (Accreditation Actions Policy and Procedures); (2) fiscal and human resources adequate to support its operations wherever and however programs are delivered (Standard VI); and (3) documented financial resources, funding base, and plans for financial development, adequate to support its educational purposes and programs and to ensure financial stability (Standard VI) (Fourteenth Edition and Evidence Expectations by Standard Guidelines). To require that the institution complete and submit for approval, by July 1, 2024, a comprehensive, implementable teach-out plan and signed teach-out agreements with appropriate teach-out partner institutions (Teach-Out Plans and Agreements Policy and Procedures). In accordance with Commission policy and federal regulations, the teach-out plan must provide for the equitable treatment of students to complete their education, if the Commission were to withdraw accreditation, and include any teach-out agreements that the institution has entered into or intends to enter into with another institution. To note the Commission may reject the teach-out and require resubmission if all of the required information is not provided. To direct a follow-up team visit following submission of the monitoring report. To direct a prompt Commission liaison guidance visit to discuss the Commission's expectations. To note that Recommendation Responses in conjunction with the Annual Institutional Update (AIU) are no longer required. The date of the next evaluation will be determined upon reaffirmation of accreditation.
March 28, 2024
Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to acknowledge receipt of the supplemental information report requested by the Commission action of November 6, 2023, providing information on key data indicators (enrollment – FTE), as reported on the 2023 Annual Institutional Update (AIU) in accordance with federal regulation 34 CFR § 602.19(d). The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024.