YU Middle States Accreditation Renewed; University Placed on Warning

YU had its accreditation renewed in November by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), with a non-compliance warning on two standards.

In a letter addressed to President Ari Berman, MSCHE stated that YU failed to provide evidence that they were compliant with standards V and VI, two of the standards institutions must meet to maintain accreditation. Standard V requires universities to prove that they effectively assess student learning, while Standard VI states that a university must demonstrate adequate planning processes to fulfill its institutional goals.

“A Middle States Non-Compliance Warning is a routine step in the re-accreditation process indicating the Commission’s expectation that a university can present additional evidence through a Monitoring Report that it is in compliance with one or more of the seven Standards of Accreditation that Middle States requires of its member institutions,” Provost Botman told The Commentator. 

To resolve the warning, YU will submit a report by Aug. 1, 2025, demonstrating that the university “can sustain ongoing compliance with Standard V,” Botman said. Until then, YU will schedule a visit by a peer-review team, consisting of members from other universities, to prove that changes are being implemented. A visit by an MSCHE member will also be scheduled.

“A Non-Compliance Warning does not affect faculty, staff, current or prospective students in their academic journeys at Yeshiva University’s undergraduate and graduate schools,” Botman added.

YU has been accredited by MSCHE since 1948. Educational institutions are required to be accredited to enjoy federal assistance programs, including federal student loans. Accreditation is re-evaluated every 10 years, with YU undergoing its most recent review beginning in September 2022. The standards are intended to ensure quality assurance.

The commission requested that YU submit a self-study report and host a peer-review team for a multi-day visit. Both the self-study and peer-review findings will be evaluated by the MSCHE before a ruling is issued.

YU faced a similar warning in 2014, when the MSCHE raised concerns about compliance with Standard V. As a result of the ruling, YU established the Office of Learning Assessment to ensure compliance with Standard V, however, concerns about compliance persisted into the 2024 evaluation.

YU’s re-evaluation process for the current review began with the announcement of a self-study plan in March 2023. However, the self-study report, initially scheduled for submission in February or March 2024, was delayed until April 16, 2024, causing the peer-review visit to be pushed to late June. In its recent letter, MSCHE noted that the missed deadline contributed to the non-compliance warning. After a student asked her about the delay during a Q&A, Dean Leslie Halpern explained that the delay was caused by the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, as it became difficult for the self-study authors to complete their work. 

“The University takes very seriously the Middle States Commission’s comments about our assessment process and is committed to demonstrating capacity to sustain those improvements, enabling the institution to return to compliance within 36 months” Botman told The Commentator.

“We are especially proud that the team commended our accomplishments under Standards I and IV,” Botman said. “It is important to note that Standard V is one of the most common areas cited in Non-Compliance Warnings. Yeshiva University has complete confidence in the University’s assessment process and views this Non-Compliance Warning as an opportunity to benefit from the Commission’s constructive advice and enhance the quality of Yeshiva University’s academic programs.”

Photo Caption: A view of Rubin Hall and the Five Core Torah Values

Photo Credit: Jonathan Levin / The Commentator