By Gabriella Barthe 

On March 22-25, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth will undergo a comprehensive evaluation visit by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)– one of seven accrediting commissions in the United States.  

The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is a regional accreditation agency for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, as well as a few institutions in Greece, Switzerland, Lebanon, Bulgaria, Bermuda, and Morocco.  

NECHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education at the institutions it accredits. 

For this evaluation, the public is invited to submit comments regarding UMass Dartmouth to NECHE. Any substantive matters related to the quality of UMass Dartmouth can be submitted for review. To have your voice heard and considered for review, be sure to send a letter in by March 25, 2020. Note that personal matters involving faculty, administrators, or other individuals will not be considered here and should be referred to the appropriate on campus higher-ups.  

To submit comments, feel free to email info@neche.org or send a letter to: 

Public Comment on UMass Dartmouth 

New England Commission of Higher Education 

3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100 

Burlington, MA 01803 

In addition to these comments, the NECHE will be visiting campus in March conducted by a trained group of faculty and administrators. This team will gather information that the Commission will take into account on whether to issue a continuing status for UMass Dartmouth.  

This accreditation is a status that helps prospective students and families know that the university meets a standard of learning. Currently, UMass Dartmouth has been accredited by this Commission since 1963, having completed their last review in 2015.