Introduction to Middle States

An institution of higher education is a community dedicated to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, to the study and clarification of values, and to the advancement of the society it serves. To support these goals, institutions of higher education within the Middle States region joined together in 1919 to form the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, a professional association devoted to educational improvement through accreditation. Today's successor organization for higher education accreditation is the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE).

Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education Eligibility Requirements and Standards for Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 2002, Page iv.