Boston College prepares for reaccreditation

Boston College has begun preparations for its decennial reaccreditation review by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which will culminate in a site visit by a team of educators next year.

University President William P. Leahy, S.J., has appointed Special Assistant to the President Peter Martin to lead a University committee that will prepare materials for the process. Committee members include Associate Vice Provost for Assessment and Accreditation Jessica Greene; Vice President for Institutional Research and Planning Mara Hermano; Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President Carrie Klemovitch; and University Libraries Associate Director for Academic Programs and Special Projects Seth Meehan.

As part of the NECHE reaccreditation—the most recent occurred in 2017—BC will undertake a self-study during the coming months that will address key issues and topics in academics, student life, organizational effectiveness and other areas; the document will be submitted next January. The NECHE delegation, composed of educators and administrators from peer institutions, will visit the campus for three days in March of 2027, during which time it will review the self-study, speak with members of the BC community, and examine supporting documents before issuing a report. Both the self-study and the visiting committee report will be integral to the decision on BC’s accreditation status.  

While good standing in a regional accreditation association is a requirement for participation in federal programs that support higher education, Martin said the process also presents an opportunity for BC to take stock of its academic and formational mission and evaluate other institutional priorities.

“Boston College has a great story to tell, and my fellow committee members and I want to work with the University’s departments, programs, and offices to tell that story,” he said. “It’s also important for us to consider how we can continue to grow. Undertaking the self-study and hosting the visiting team will help ensure that Boston College builds on its legacy.”

Martin said the reaccreditation effort will involve assessing how BC has been affected by, and responded to, the multitude of events and trends of the past decade affecting higher education, and society at large. “It’s a matter of assembling qualitative as well as quantitative evidence that we are succeeding. We may be confident, for instance, that our Undergraduate Core Curriculum is producing well-rounded graduates, but how do we know? How can we demonstrate that BC is living up to its Jesuit, Catholic mission?”

Toward that end, an advisory group is being formed to aid the special committee under Martin’s direction, with members representing each of BC’s schools and vice-presidential divisions, such as Facilities Management, Human Resources, and University Mission and Ministry.

He emphasized, however, that the reaccreditation process will be a “community-wide” one with a number of opportunities to contribute and offer input.  

“A wide variety of faculty, students, and administrators must be involved in order to help Boston College prepare most effectively for the future.”