Middle States Self-Study 2025-2027
Clarkson University has begun the Self-Study process for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) re-accreditation process, guided by the analysis of each of seven standards prioritized by the commission by their importance in higher education.
This periodic re-accreditation process is Clarkson’s opportunity to engage in a comprehensive and reflective assessment process, and to evaluate continuous improvement within the context of institutional mission and goals.
- Advance Clarkson’s distinctive STEM education that encompasses all aspects of its students’ learning experience.
- Support enrollment and student engagement across the Clarkson community.
- Achieve financial stability and steward resources in support of mission.
- Demonstrate how the institution currently meets the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation (Fourteenth Edition) and provides evidence by Standard in alignment with the Evidence Expectations by Standard. *
- Leverage periodic assessment through each standard, using assessment results for continuous improvement and innovation to ensure levels of quality for constituents and the attainment of the institution’s priorities, mission, and goals. *
- Engage the institutional community in an inclusive and transparent self-appraisal process, including analysis of a range of data, including disaggregated data, to ensure students are appropriately served and institutional mission and goals are met. *
- Provide data and analysis to inform the University’s strategic thinking.
- Implement an actively maintained comprehensive data and procedural document repository to facilitate transparent, mission-centric, and data-based decision-making across all areas of the university.
(* identifies the outcome as one of Middle States three required outcomes)
Core Committee Executive Team Co-Chairs
Jerry Gravander, Accreditation Liaison Officer and Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Arts, Culture, and Technology
Amanda Pickering, Co-Chair and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs & Student Achievement
Holly Sypniewski, Co-Chair and Professor, Department of Arts, Culture, and Technology
Working Groups and Co-Chairs
Co-Chairs:
Regis Quirin, Director of Budgets & Planning
Gasper Sekelj, Assistant Professor, Economics & Financial Studies
Members:
Tasha Bartlett, Project Accounting Analyst
Krista Larock Wells, Instructor, Reh School of Business
Claire Liu, Institutional Research Data Analyst
Michael Sacks, Assistant Professor, Economics & Financial Studies
Two students
Co-Chairs:
Kevin Fite, Associate Professor and Executive Officer, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Jerry Gravander, Distinguished Service Professor and Co-Chair, Department of Arts, Culture, & Technology/ALO and Self-Study Co-Chair
Members:
Erica Arnold, Environmental Health & Safety Manager / Radiation Safety Officer / Emergency Response Manager
Jessica Carista, Director of Interactive Marketing
Katherine Catimon, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions & Communications, Transfer Admissions
Bennett Gaebel. Associate Athletics Director
Amanda Geary, Assistant Professor, Consumer & Organizational Studies
William MacKinnon, Associate Professor, Operations & Information Systems / Chair of the Faculty Senate
Alastair Kocho Williams, Professor of History
Colleen Thapalia, Senior Director of International Admissions
Two students
Co-Chairs:
Laura Perry, Director of Academic Technology and Support
Holly Sypniewski, Professor of History/Co-Chair, Clarkson Common Experience Committee
Members:
Sitaraman Krishnan, Professor of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering / Executive Officer, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Joshua LaFave, Director of Graduate Business Programs
Amy Nevin, Senior Director of Data & Enrollment Services
Benjamin Roulston, Assistant Professor of Physics
Kenneth Wallace, Professor of Biology
Two students
Co-Chairs:
Laurel Kane, Director of Athletics
Marjorie Warden, Director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and Community of Underrepresented Professional Opportunities (CUPO)
Members:
Kristen Avery, Director of Student Life & Community Engagement
Coreen Bohl, Director of Counseling
Kelsey Pearson, Dean of Students
Teresa Planty, Associate Vice President of Engagement & Operations
Angela Shatraw, Assistant Registrar for Scheduling
Two students
Co-Chairs:
Tom Langen, Professor of Biology / Associate Dean, Lewis School of Health & Life Sciences
Jan Scrimgeour, Associate Professor of Physics
Members:
Sherry Birdwell, Instructional Designer
Erin Blauvelt, Assistant Director of Learning Design & Professional Education
Doug Bohl, Professor of Aerospace Engineering / Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Coulter School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
Jan DeWaters, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering
Samantha Marocco, Professor of Physical Therapy/Chair of Physical Therapy
Two students
Co-Chairs:
Jasmine Johnson, Director of Institutional Research
Amanda Pickering, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs & Student Achievement
Members:
Alexander Cohen, Professor of Political Science / Director of Libraries