Steering Committee and Working Groups

The University's Self-Study Steering Committee is led by one co-chair from the full-time faculty, and one from the staff/administration. Rebecca Beal, Professor of English and Julie Schumacher Cohen, Director of Community and Government Relations, serve in these positions.

Membership of the Steering Committee is comprised of the co-chairs of each of eight (8) Working Groups, one assigned to each of the MSCHE Standards for Accreditation and one to coordinate the Compliance reporting process. For each Working Group, one co-chair is from the full-time faculty, and one co-chair is from the staff/administration; the Compliance Working Group will be led by the University's Accreditation Liaison Officer. The co-chairs of each Working Group, in consulation with the Steering Committee co-chairs, have identified faculty, staff, and student members for their working groups.  A representative from the Office of Educational Assessment and the Office of Institutional Research support the work of the Steering Committee through ex officio membership. A Data & Technology Committee and a Communications Committee also serve in support roles. 

Middle States Self-Study Steering Committee

Steering Committee Co-Chairs:       

Working Group 1 (Standard 1: Mission and Goals):

Lauren Scott Rivera, JD, ME, Associate Vice Provost for Student Formation & Campus Life and Dean of Students

Working Group 2 (Standard 2: Ethics and Integrity):

Maria J. Oreshkina, PhD, MS, Associate Professor, Education, Director of Graduate Programs in Education
Patrick Donohue, BS, Assistant Vice President for Budget & Financial Planning 

Working Group 3 (Standard 3: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience):

David A. Rusak, PhD, Professor, Chemistry
Jean Lenville, MS, Assistant Dean & Acting Associate Dean, Weinberg Memorial Library

Working Group 4 (Standard 4: Support of the Student Experience):

Robyn Lawrence, PhD, MS, Associate Professor, Accounting, Director of the MBA Program 
Helen  M. Wolf, PhD, MSEd, MA, Executive Director for Campus Ministries

Working Group 5 (Standard 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment):

Steven J. Szydlowski, DHA, MHA, MBA, Assistant Professor of Health Administration & Human Resources, Director of the Graduate Health Administration Program
Eugeniu Grigorescu, MS, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence

Working Group 6 (Standard 6: Planning, Resources & Institutional Improvement):

Paul T. Cutrufello, PhD, MS, Associate Professor, Exercise Science & Sport, Chair of the Department of Exercise Science and Sports 
Jennifer LaPorta, JD, Executive Director, Office of Equity and Diversity

Working Group 7 (Standard 7: Governance, Leadership & Administration):

Jean Wahl Harris, PhD, MA, Professor, Political Science
Murli Rajan, PhD, MComm, MBA, Associate Dean, Kania School of Management 

Working Group 8 (Compliance):

Kathryn Yerkes, MS, MA, Assistant Vice Provost for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness and Middle States Accreditation Liaison Officer  

Ex Officio Members:

Working Group Membership:

Click here to see a list of the Working Group members.

Ad Hoc Support Committees:

Data & Technology Committee: 

Communications Committee: