MCLA is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality decennially through a peer review process. An accredited institution is one which the Commission deems has the necessary resources available to achieve its stated purposes through its educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Commission is voluntary and applies to the institution as a whole. As such it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
Current Accreditation Status
Colleges in the New England region have a regular ten-year cycle of review by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
MCLA's most recent comprehensive evaluation began with a rigorous self-study process in 2022-2023 and culminated with a comprehensive evaluation campus visit in fall 2023. The Commission wrote to President Birge in May 2024 to convey its decision that MCLA be continued in accreditation for another 10-year cycle.
In preparation for the visit of the Evaluation Team, members of the MCLA community conducted a self-study that culminated in a final report. You may view the Evaluation Team’s report and MCLA’s response.
MCLA’s next comprehensive evaluation is scheduled for the spring of 2033.
About the Reaccreditation Process
Accreditation review is a three-step process that entails a self-study by the institution, a visit to campus by a team of peer evaluators, and the team’s written evaluation and recommendations. As of July 1, 2016, NECHE adopted revised standards of accreditation. The revised standards are available on the NECHE web site.
Inquiries about NECHE Accreditation
Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by NECHE should be directed to the Office of Academic Affairs.
Distance Education Authorization
MCLA is authorized to offer distance education programs through its participation
in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). State Authorization Reciprocity
Agreement (SARA). SARA is a voluntary agreement among member states that establishes comparable national
standards for postsecondary distance education courses and programs.
Additional Information
Invitation for Public Comments
2023 Evaluation Team
2023 MCLA Reaccreditation Committees
MCLA Reaccreditation Archive
Student Grievances
Information on how to file a complaint with the New England Commission on Higher Education (NEHE) regarding an accredited NECHE institution can be found on its website.
