July 18, 2018
College, PCSB receive reaccreditation notices
Providence College has earned reaccreditation for 10 years by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
The notification, announced in a letter to College President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. ’80, follows the reaccreditation of the Providence College School of Business by AACSB, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, through 2022.
The College’s reaccreditation by CIHE/NEASC was the result of an extensive collaborative effort by more than 100 members of the College community, as well as dozens of community members who provided feedback on the initial drafts of the institution’s final self-study. The self-study, submitted to the commission in September 2017, was followed by a four-day campus visit in October 2017 by a CIHE/NEASC team led by Dr. John E. Bassett, former president of Heritage University.
In its letter, the commission concurred with the visiting team that the College offers a “high-quality, student-centered education.” It also noted that “with an experienced and effective president and senior leadership team, an engaged and committed Board of Trustees, and dedicated faculty and staff, Providence College is poised for continued excellence as it fulfills its commitment to ‘academic excellence in pursuit of the truth, growth in virtue, and service of God and neighbor.’”
The commission directed the College to submit a fall 2019 progress report on its success in implementing the proposed new strategic plan, PC200. The commission also requested that, in PC’s fifth-year interim report (fall 2022), the College give emphasis to its success in:
- continuing to assess the core curriculum, with a focus on using the results for improvement, and achieving a wider understanding among students and faculty of the goals and purposes of the core;
- achieving its goals with respect to diversity and inclusiveness; and
- implementing its school structure and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of school deans and the provost.
In a letter to faculty, staff, and students, Acting College President Rev. Kenneth Sicard, O.P. ’78 & ’82G, executive vice president and treasurer, extended his gratitude to all members of the College community who were involved in the accreditation process. He highlighted the work of the Reaccreditation Steering Committee, which was co-chaired by Dr. Brian J. Bartolini, associate vice president for academic affairs and chief institutional effectiveness officer, and Dr. A. Licia Carlson, professor of philosophy.
“I look forward to using what we have learned to enhance and improve our College and, most particularly, our students’ learning, development, and overall experience,” said Father Sicard.
The reaccreditation of the School of Business likewise came after a careful self-review and a site visit by an AACSB accreditation team in February 2018. The school, which was established in 2007, first earned accreditation by AACSB in 2012. The PCSB is composed of the departments of accountancy, finance, marketing, and management, and the MBA Program.
Dr. Sylvia Maxfield, PCSB dean, said AACSB accreditation represents “the gold standard” in business education and formalizes the school’s place among the world’s top providers in business education. Only approximately 30 percent of U.S. business schools, and approximately 5 percent worldwide, achieve this prestigious designation.
Maxfield noted that reaccreditation validates the PCSB’s growing reputation and commitment to continuous improvement.
“Since AACSB last visited five years ago, we have built on our strong foundation by establishing new programs and growing others, hiring more than a dozen new faculty members, and taking steps to become increasingly more rigorous and selective,” she said. “With our new Ryan Center home and momentum fueled by our faculty, staff, and students, we are excited about the future of PCSB.”
