The University of the Virgin Islands' accreditation has been reaffirmed through the periodic review process by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which accredits degree-granting colleges and universities in the Middle States region.

UVI received a favorable response to the Periodic Review Report (PRR), also known as the five-year mid-point report, a requirement of the MSCHE when member institutions reach the half-way point in their ten-year cycle of reaffirmation of accreditation. In 2007, MSCHE acted to reaffirm UVI's accreditation through 2017, with recommendations for additional reports prior to the submission of the PRR. UVI has favorably met all of the recommendations.

A letter recently received by UVI from MSCHE reads:
"At its session on November 15, 2012, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education acted: To accept the Periodic Review Report and to reaffirm accreditation. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2016-2017."

"This action of the Commission demonstrates that we have been working on the right issues and making important progress," UVI President Dr. David Hall said of UVI's mid-point reaffirmation of accreditation. "It allows us to focus on the 2016-2017 site visit."

Dr. Hall added that it is impressive for UVI that MSCHE accepted the report with no further recommendations and did not require additional monitoring or progress reports. "This only occurs when an institution has adequately addressed concerns and recommendations that were raised at the last site visit, and is operating in a manner that creates a high level of confidence in the minds of the members of the accrediting body," Dr. Hall said.

"It means that UVI is operating in a sound and effective manner. The fact that our report was accepted without recommendations also indicates that our work in regards to assessment - especially student learning outcomes - is progressing in a significant manner," Dr. Hall added. He thanked members of the UVI community for their work in getting UVI to this point. "There are many individuals who allowed us to get to this place in such a short period of time and we must now build on this progress."

Dr. Haldane Davies explained that the Periodic Review Report is a major accreditation event which speaks to the continued eligibility of the University to maintain its accreditation. "It carries significant weight in that failure to have the PRR accepted could put our institution in jeopardy of losing its status as an accredited and recognized institution, being ineligible to receive federal financial aid, and other public and private grants and gifts," said Dr. Davies, UVI's special assistant to the President and executive director for Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment. Dr. Davies, with the assistance of a steering committee, led UVI's effort in the preparation of the PRR.

"We will continue to further develop and solidify the University's institutional effectiveness and assessment program as we traverse the pathways to greatness and further develop a stronger University," Dr. Davies added.
The University of the Virgin Islands has been accredited since 1971 by MSCHE.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that defines, maintains and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations and resources. It examines each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within institutions.