Executive Summary
A wide-ranging working session that confirmed the shift to Middle States accreditation, reviewed the assessment manual and exhibit tracking progress, raised concerns about the ALO selection (Dr. Avis), discussed F-1 visa eligibility requirements, and included a live technical review of the CampusOS LMS/ERP system with Perak (system developer) to establish reporting infrastructure and correct student status fields.
Key Findings
1. Middle States Confirmed — DEAC Off the Table
- DEAC is no longer viable: UMF has no undergraduate enrollment, and DEAC requires active enrollment in every listed program.
- Middle States does not require enrollment in every program — only active enrollment generally.
- Middle States preferred path officially confirmed by all parties.
- Timeline: Submit pre-applicant application June 2026 → Pre-applicant visit August 2026 → Submit Candidacy Assessment Report December 2026 → Site visit and candidacy status March/April 2027.
2. Mission Statement Must Be Revised
- Current mission statement was written for DEAC (requires 51% distance education per program).
- Middle States has no such requirement — institution can offer face-to-face programs.
- Mission statement must be revised to reflect hybrid/face-to-face delivery option before submission.
3. ALO Selection — Concerns About Dr. Avis
- Middle States requires an Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) — a bridge between the president and the accreditor.
- Matos expressed concern that Dr. Avis comes from an ACCSC background, which is very different from Middle States.
- Matos warned that Dr. Avis will likely request additional compensation for the workload.
- Recommendation: Approach Dr. Avis proactively about her role and establish salary expectations before she asks.
- Suggested salary: $30,000 part-time (equivalent to $60,000 full-time). Her salary must appear in the budget submitted to Middle States.
4. Institutional Assessment Committee Structure
- Committee should be comprised of department heads / leadership team.
- Middle States recommends at least one student and faculty representation to demonstrate governance.
- Curriculum Review Committee chair should also sit on the Assessment Committee.
- Matos will provide meeting agenda templates for: Board meetings, Advisory board, Faculty meetings.
5. Assessment & Financial Cycle Alignment
- All cycles (financial audit, student satisfaction survey, employer survey) must align with the academic year (Fall start → Summer end).
- Student satisfaction survey: once per year in Fall (not Spring).
- Admissions conversion rate and enrollment rates: twice per year (mid-year review for budget adjustments).
- Board should meet twice per year: Spring (approve next-year budget) and mid-year (review performance, adjust budget).
- Matos will draft the Budget Process Policy to formalize this cycle.
6. F-1 Visa / I-17 Eligibility
- UMF can apply for I-17 (SEVIS) as an unaccredited institution by submitting 3 pieces of evidence to DHS. Options:
Evidence Options (need 3 separate examples, can mix types)
1. Letter of acceptance from a graduate into an accredited institution.
2. Articulation agreement with an accredited institution for transfer credit.
3. Documentation that graduates can sit for state licensing/certification as graduates of an unaccredited institution.
2. Articulation agreement with an accredited institution for transfer credit.
3. Documentation that graduates can sit for state licensing/certification as graduates of an unaccredited institution.
- Once candidacy is granted by Middle States, F-1 visa eligibility is automatic.
7. Programs in Spanish / Additional Languages
- Middle States allows programs in any language (Spanish, Arabic, etc.).
- This is a significant opportunity — Sal expressed strong interest in Spanish-language programs.
- Undergraduate programs require CIE approval before offering — Sal was unaware and needs to begin that process.
8. Swiss School of Management — Clarification
- Sal had been told they were DEAC accredited — this is incorrect.
- They are accredited by ACBSP (business programs only) and British Accreditation Council.
- Matos advised against partnership given misleading accreditation claims.
9. Not-for-Profit Conversion
- Matos recommends eventual conversion to not-for-profit university.
- Referred Sal to Meredith Pelton (former executive director of the commission, close associate of Sam Ferguson at Middle States) for legal counsel.
10. CampusOS LMS/ERP System Review (with Perak)
Live system review revealed the following required changes:
Student Status Fields — Required Updates
- Change "active attending" → "active"
- Add: probation, warning, graduate, completer
- Replace "medical leave" with "leave of absence"; delete "medical leave"
Admissions Status Fields — Required Updates
- Add: lead (not applied), lead (applied), accepted, enrolled
Placement Status Fields — Required Updates
- Tier 1 (post-graduation): placement eligible, placement not eligible, placement exempt
- Tier 2 (follow-up): continuing education, not available for placement, placement in field (related), placement not related field
Additional Issues Found
- Student start/admission dates missing from migrated records — skewing all reports and transcripts.
- Transcript currently shows grades but is missing the student original start date and enrollment term.
- Transcript legend missing — Matos requested a legend be added for grade codes (IP = In Progress, AUD, AW, I, R, etc.).
- David to audit all student records and validate dates before reports are generated.
- Perak to send updated transcript template to Matos for review and approval.
- Matos to send placement formulas to Perak once statuses are corrected.
Action Items
| Who | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| Sal | Revise mission statement to reflect hybrid/face-to-face delivery option | Before submission |
| Sal | Approach Dr. Avis proactively about ALO role and salary ($30K part-time) | Immediately |
| Sal | Include Dr. Avis salary in budget submitted to Middle States | Before submission |
| Matos | Send email to Ryan confirming UMF is moving to Middle States | This week |
| Matos | Submit Middle States inquiry form online | June 2026 |
| Matos | Provide ALO responsibilities document to Sal | This week |
| Matos | Draft Budget Process Policy | This month |
| Matos | Share assessment circle/model graphic | Next meeting |
| Matos | Provide meeting agenda templates (Board, Advisory, Faculty) | Next meeting |
| Matos | Send updated transcript format requirements to Perak | This week |
| Matos | Send placement rate formulas to Perak | Once statuses corrected |
| Perak | Update student status fields per Matos specifications | This week |
| Perak | Update admissions status fields | This week |
| Perak | Update placement status fields | This week |
| Perak | Add transcript legend for grade codes | This week |
| David | Audit all student records and validate start/enrollment dates | This week |
| David | Send Perak current report templates/formats | Immediately |
| Sal | Begin CIE approval process for undergraduate programs | ASAP |
| Sal | Consult Meredith Pelton re: not-for-profit conversion | When ready |
| All | Align financial audit and survey cycles with academic year (Fall–Summer) | Before budget submission |
Decisions & Open Questions
Decisions Made
- Middle States is the confirmed accreditation path — DEAC is off the table.
- Mission statement must be revised before submission.
- Dr. Avis will serve as ALO pending salary agreement; Sal must approach her proactively.
- All assessment and financial cycles to align with Fall–Summer academic year.
- Doctoral programs on hold — focus on strengthening master's level first.
- No undergraduate programs to be offered until CIE approval obtained.
Open Questions
- Will Dr. Avis accept the ALO role at the proposed salary?
- When will Ryan confirm Middle States fee payment schedule?
- Which articulation agreements or graduate acceptance letters can serve as F-1 visa evidence?
- Who will serve as the student representative on the Assessment Committee?