News

On October 30, 2026, the United States Department of Education (USDE) published final regulations from its Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) rulemaking. The regulations revise the federal criteria for recognizing accrediting agencies (34 CFR § 602) and related rules on institutional eligibility (34...

Three State University of New York (SUNY) institutions – Columbia-Greene Community College, Corning Community College, and Dutchess Community College – will join the Workforce Trust to use the National Accreditation Commission (NAC) AI-powered Accreditation Information Hub (AIHub) for Workforce Pell programs, creating more...

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is accelerating its innovative Workforce Trust AIHub initiative with a $100,000 grant from Lumina Foundation. The foundation’s support will advance the Commission’s partnership with up to 10 institutions with The City University of New York...

On October 30, 2026, the United States Department of Education (USDE) published a final accreditation rule developed through the Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking process. The final rule will take effect on July 1, 2027. In announcing the rule, the Department...

On behalf of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), President Heather F. Perfetti provided thought leadership through written and oral testimony for the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee’s hearing on reduced-credit baccalaureate degrees on October 20, 2026. Invited by State Senator Lynda...

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) continues to promote student-centered accreditation through its Pillars of Change Podcast. Our newest episode celebrates two students who featured their research at the Commission’s 2025 Annual Conference Student Poster Presentations.   Estelle Khairallah, a medical...

On September 29, 2026, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) earned recognition with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), enhancing our continued collaboration with CHEA and accreditors around the world who are leading the conversation about student-centered accreditation. “Our return...

Heather F. Perfetti, President of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), recently joined the Small College America podcast to discuss proposed federal accreditation regulations, institutional financial health challenges, legal transactions, and the future of accreditation. As higher education anticipates the United...

On September 14, 2026, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) provided comment on proposed revisions to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Standards and Procedures for Recognition (2025). Our Commission is committed to strengthening innovative, impactful accreditation through dedicated partnerships...

On September 14, 2026, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) submitted public comment on the United States Department of Education’s newly proposed federal accreditation regulations resulting from the Department’s Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) negotiated rulemaking. We encourage institutions to submit...