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What is Middle States?

Established in 1919, the Middle States Association is one of the “regional accrediting agencies” recognized by the federal government. It accredits educational institutions within the mid-Atlantic region.

JBC is Accredited by the Middle States
Commission on Higher Education.

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is part of the tradition of voluntary self-regulation within the independent sector of higher education in the United States. It involves a comprehensive peer assessment by seasoned higher education professionals every ten years. The fundamental purpose of accreditation is to assure the quality and effectiveness of JBC’s educational programs and services. More specifically, accreditation seeks to demonstrate:

  • That the College knows clearly where it wants to go — It has a clear and current mission. It has well-defined, appropriate, and measurable goals.
  • That the College has the means to get there — It has established the conditions necessary for success, such as adequate resources, adequate staff, an appropriate planning structure, and appropriate policies and procedures.
  • That the College is, in fact, succeeding substantially in achieving its goals and objectives. There is evidence of system-wide assessment, with a particular focus on student learning outcomes that relate to institutional mission and goals. There is a continuing pursuit of improvements in quality and institutional effectiveness at every level of the college, and a demonstration of the value added by a JBC education.

What purposes does Accreditation serve?

Accreditation is part of the tradition of voluntary self-regulation within the independent sector of higher education in the United States. It involves a comprehensive peer assessment by seasoned higher education professionals every ten years. The fundamental purpose of accreditation is to assure the quality and effectiveness of JBC’s educational programs and services. More specifically, accreditation seeks to demonstrate:

  1. Accountability – for prospective students and their parents, the federal government, and the public at large, it provides assurances of educational quality and effective management.
  2. Improvements in Institutional Effectiveness – the self-study serves as a means of continuing to improve the quality of the education and services that we provide to our students and other constituencies that we serve.
  3. Eligibility for Federal Financial Aid – the federal government requires that an institution be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization in order for its students to be eligible to participate in the Student Assistance Programs in Title IV of the Higher Education Act, as amended (HEA).