NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
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HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY ACHIEVES CANDIDATE FOR ACCREDITATION STATUS IN FIRST YEAR OF OPERATIONMayor Stephen R. Reed and officials of The Harrisburg University of Science and Technology announced today that the Middle States Commission, the entity that rules on matters of college and university accreditation, has approved The Harrisburg University as a candidate for accreditation in the University’s first year of operation. Reed said normally, candidate status occurs in a new institutions’ second year. Final accreditation status can only occur after the first four year undergraduates’ class graduates in four years. The Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is the first comprehensive university chartered in Pennsylvania in over 100 years. Its focus is on advanced studies in math, science and high technologies and additionally offers certificate programs. It opened last August 29 and begins its second full year of teaching at summer’s end. Reed said plans for the University tower at 4th and Market Streets are also advancing, which will provide substantial additional classrooms, laboratories, meeting room and other space when completed. The Mayor said that in addition to the candidate accreditation status providing independent assessment regarding the university’s rigorous academic program, it now opens the doors to students being eligible for a wider range of student loans and grants, as well as tuition reimbursements, including the Pell Grant program offered by the U.S. Government. “The fact that we reached this milestone so early speaks well of the entire University community. This represents an important benchmark in our growth as a private comprehensive university,” said Dr. Melvyn Schiavelli, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. “This is an expression of the confidence that the Middle States Commission on Higher Education has in our mission and goals, our performance and our resources.” Recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education provides accrediting activities in the Middle States region, which includes the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The University received a letter on its new status from Peter F. Burnham, Vice Chair of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education: “At its session on June 22, 2006, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education acted to thank the institution for receiving the Commission’s representatives and to grant Candidate for Accreditation status. Candidate for Accreditation is a status of affiliation with a regional accrediting commission which indicates that an institution has achieved recognition and is progressing toward, but is not assured of, accreditation. It has provided evidence of sound planning, seems to have the resources to implement the plans, and appears to have the potential for obtaining its goals within a reasonable time.” A handful of other colleges and universities accredited by the Middle States Commission includes Penn State, Carnegie Mellon University, Princeton University, University of Pittsburgh, Lehigh University, University of Maryland, Messiah College, Lebanon Valley College and LaSalle University. Harrisburg University offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, professional and continuing education programs and certificate programs that provide a combination of specialized technical aptitudes, adaptability, and business skills so graduates can secure technology-based careers. Receiving this status by a nationally recognized accrediting organization, makes Harrisburg University students eligible for federal and state financial aid, student loans and tuition reimbursement programs offered by employers. Students can feel confident that their degree and credits will be accepted across the country. “We welcomed our first class in August 2005, committing ourselves to meet the needs of the region’s youth, workforce, and businesses, and to expand, attract and create economic opportunities in the region. This is another key step in that commitment. Financial aid and tuition reimbursement programs provide more support so students can pursue a degree or further their education so they can pursue careers with high-paying, high-technology firms in the region or globally,” said Schiavelli. Accreditation is a means of self-regulation and peer review adopted by the educational community. The accrediting process strengthens and sustains the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education notes that the extent to which each educational institution accepts and fulfills the responsibilities inherent in the process is a measure of its concern for freedom and quality in higher education and of its commitment to strive for and achieve excellence in its endeavors. “This is a day of celebration and it is a day that many of us within the university and the region have planned for and worked hard to achieve,” said Dr. Karen Kasmanian Oates, VP for academic and Student Affairs at Harrisburg University. Accreditation, Oates notes, is a positive reflection on the University’s goals for student learning, its organization, staffing and support. As a recognized leader in promoting and ensuring quality assurance and improvement in higher education, the Middle States’ Commission defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence and responds creatively to a diverse, dynamic, global higher education community that is continually evolving. The Commission examines an institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within the institution. There are 503 colleges and universities accredited by the Commission. “We are being aggressive in our self-study, assessment and processes so we can move to the fullest level of national accreditation in record time,” said Oates. Harrisburg University plans to celebrate the achievement with a series of events within the community and at the 215 Market Street campus in downtown Harrisburg. The University will host Admissions Nights on June 28 and July 11 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information on upcoming events at the campus, registration for classes which begin Sept. 5th, or to learn more about degree programs at the University, visit the campus online at www.HarrisburgU.net or call (717) 901.5101 |
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