Statement of Accreditation Status
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
- CEO: Mr. Sean Connelly, President
- Accreditation Liaison Officer: Ms. Elizabeth Rogers
- Commission Staff Liaison: Michael Sachs, Vice President
- Carnegie Classification: Special Focus: Arts and Sciences » No research designation
- Control: Private (Non-Profit)
- Former Name(s): Academy of the New Church College and Theological School
- Phase: Accredited
- Status: Accreditation Reaffirmed
- Accreditation Granted: 1952
- Last Reaffirmation: March 12, 2026
- Next Self-Study Evaluation: 2029-2030
Contact Information
P. O. Box 717 2965 College Drive
Bryn Athyn,
PA
19009-0717
- March 12, 2026
To acknowledge receipt of the monitoring report requested by the Commission action of June 6, 2025. To note the follow-up team visit by Commission representatives to the main campus at 2965 College Drive, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 on November 3-5, 2025. To reaffirm accreditation because the institution is now in compliance with Standard VII (Governance, Leadership, and Administration). To request a monitoring report, due July 1, 2026, demonstrating sustainability of implemented corrective measures and further evidence (1) that 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, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy (Standard VII and Related Entities Policy and Procedures); (2) of a legally constituted governing body that has sufficient diversity, independence, and expertise to ensure the integrity of the institution (Standard VII); (3) of a governing body that appoints and regularly evaluates the performance of the Chief Executive Officer (Standard VII); and (4) of a governing body where a majority of members have no employment, family, ownership, or other personal financial interest in the institution (Standard VII). To request that the monitoring report also provide further evidence documenting periodic assessment of the effectiveness of governance, leadership, and administration (Standard VII) (Fourteenth Edition and Evidence Expectations by Standard Guidelines). To direct a follow-up team visit following submission of the monitoring report. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2029-2030. - June 6, 2025
Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to note the Commission liaison guidance visit occurred on April 24, 2025. To remind the institution of the Commission request of March 13, 2025, for a monitoring report due October 1, 2025. The date of the next evaluation will be determined upon reaffirmation of accreditation. - March 13, 2025
To acknowledge receipt of the supplemental information report requested by Commission action of June 27, 2024. To note the follow-up team visit by Commission representatives to the main campus at 2965 College Drive, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. To warn the institution that its accreditation may be in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that the institution is currently in compliance with Standard VII (Governance, Leadership, and Administration). To note that the institution remains accredited while on warning. To note further that federal regulations limit the period during which an institution may be in non-compliance, which starts on March 13, 2025. To request a monitoring report due October 1, 2025, demonstrating evidence that the institution has achieved and can sustain ongoing compliance with Standard VII (Governance, Leadership, and Administration), including but not limited to evidence (1) that 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, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy (Standard VII and Related Entities Policy and Procedures); (2) of a legally constituted governing body that has sufficient diversity, independence, and expertise to ensure the integrity of the institution (Standard VII); (3) of a governing body that appoints and regularly evaluates the performance of the Chief Executive Officer (Standard VII); and (4) of a governing body where a majority of members have no employment, family, ownership, or other personal financial interest in the institution (Standard VII) (Fourteenth Edition and Evidence Expectations by Standard Guidelines). To request that the monitoring report also include further evidence of clearly defined mission and goals that guide faculty, administration, staff, and governing structures in making decisions related to planning, resource allocation, program and curricular development, and the definition of institutional and educational outcomes (Standard I). To remind the institution that it must make freely available to the Commission accurate, fair, and complete information on all aspects of the institution and its operations (Standard VII). To direct a follow-up team visit following submission of the monitoring report. To direct a prompt Commission liaison guidance visit to discuss Commission expectations. The date of the next evaluation will be determined upon reaffirmation of accreditation. - November 1, 2024
To note that the Commission liaison guidance visit occurred on July 29, 2024. To note that the supplemental information report and follow-up visit requested by the Commission action of June 27, 2024, are under review and will be acted upon by the Commission at a later date. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2029-2030. - June 27, 2024
To acknowledge receipt of the monitoring report. To request a supplemental information report, due September 3, 2024, documenting further evidence of (1) how the mission is linked to institutional goals and how such linkages guide institutional stakeholders in planning and decision making (Standard I) and (2) a governance structure that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that benefits the institution, its students, and the constituencies it serves (Standard VII) (Fourteenth Edition and Evidence Expectations by Standard Guidelines). A follow-up team visit will follow submission of the supplemental information report. To direct a prompt Commission liaison guidance visit to discuss the Commission's expectations. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2029-2030 - 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 (student achievement), 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 2029-2030. - November 6, 2023
Staff acted on behalf of the Commission to request a supplemental information report, due December 13, 2023, providing information on key data indicators (student achievement) as reported on the 2023 Annual Institutional Update in accordance with federal regulation 34 CFR § 602.19 (d). The next evaluation date is scheduled for 2029-2030. - June 22, 2023
To note the Commission liaison guidance visit occurred on February 16, 2023. - June 22, 2023
To acknowledge receipt of the monitoring report. To note the follow-up visit by the Commission's representatives to the main campus at 2965 College Drive, Bryn Athyn, PA, 19009-0717 on March 23-24, 2023. To note further that the verification visit required by USDE guidelines as noted in the action of June 23, 2022, has been completed. To reaffirm accreditation because the institution is now in compliance with Standard I (Mission and Goals) and Standard VII (Governance Leadership, and Administration). To request a monitoring report, due January 16, 2024, demonstrating sustainability of implemented corrective measures and further evidence of (1) how the mission is linked to institutional goals and how such linkages guide institutional stakeholders in planning and decision making (Standard I) and (2) a governance structure that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that benefits the institution, its students, and the constituencies it serves (Standard VII). A follow-up team visit may follow submission of the monitoring report. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2029-2030. - June 23, 2022
To acknowledge receipt of the self-study report. To note that the institution hosted a virtual site visit in lieu of an on-site visit in accordance with the United States Department of Education (USDE) guidelines published March 17, 2020. To warn the institution that its accreditation may be in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that the institution is currently in compliance with Standard I (Mission and Goals) and VII (Governance, Leadership, and Administration). To note that the institution remains accredited while on warning. To note further that federal regulations limit the period during which an institution may be in non-compliance. To request a monitoring report due March 1, 2023, demonstrating evidence that the institution has achieved and can sustain ongoing compliance with Standards I and VII, including but not limited to (1) how its mission is linked to institutional goals and how such linkages guide institutional stakeholders in planning and decision making (Standard I) and (2) a governance structure that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that benefits the institution, its students and the constituencies it serves (Standard VII). To request that the monitoring report also provide further evidence documenting (1) the development and implementation of organized and systematic assessments that evaluate the extent of student achievement (Standard V); (2) demonstrated and documented use of assessment results to improve educational effectiveness (Standard V); (3) enrollment management planning linked to budget development (Standard VI); and (4) the development and implementation of organized and systematic assessments that evaluate institutional effectiveness (Standard VI). To direct a follow-up team visit following submission of the monitoring report. To note the visit may also fulfill the verification requirements of the USDE guidelines. To direct a prompt Commission liaison guidance visit to discuss the Commission's expectations. Upon reaffirmation of accreditation, the next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2029-2030. - Distance Education
Approved to offer programs by this delivery method - Correspondence Education
Not approved for this delivery method - Associate's Degree or Equivalent Included within the scope
- Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Included within the scope
- Post-baccalaureate Certificate Included within the scope
- Master's Degree or Equivalent Included within the scope
- Main Campus
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
P. O. Box 717 2965 College Drive
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009-0717
Approved Credential Levels
The following represents credential levels included in the scope of the institution’s accreditation:
The following are links to sites that are not maintained by the MSCHE. These are provided as additional external resources about each institution that the MSCHE accredits.