Sterling College has been granted ten-year full accreditation renewal by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
“The affirmation that’s been provided by the NEASC accreditation team reflects that others see Sterling College as we see ourselves. This is a significant recognition of the forward momentum Sterling has had over the past several years and its continued growth and stability,” said President Matthew Derr.
The regional accreditation review, which occurs every ten years, is an intense and comprehensive process involving an assessment that the College complies with 11 standards required for accreditation. Sterling College began to formally prepare for the April 2016 site visit and reaccreditation in the fall of 2014 by appointing the NEASC Reaccreditation Steering Committee, chaired by Dr. Pavel Cenkl, Associate Dean of Academics. Other members of the steering committee included Dr. Carol Dickson, Dean of Academics; Favor Ellis, Dean of Community; Deborah Clark, then-Director of Finance; students Ezra Fradkin ’16 and Alice Haskins ’17; and faculty members Dr. Laura Spence and John Zaber ’85.
The site visit was conducted by a peer review team of six educators from colleges and universities in the region, who visited campus and reviewed the application. Over the course of their 72 hour visit, team members spoke with faculty, staff, and students.
This self-study is just the second self-study and ten-year review in the College’s brief history as a four-year college. For more details, you can read Sterling’s February 2016 self-study at www.sterlingcollege.edu/about-sterling/accreditation. •
