Vermont State University is accredited through the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), the regional accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to review and accredit institutions, as of July 1, 2023.
Accreditation Announcement
June 19, 2023
Vermont State University (VTSU) announced that it received accreditation from its governing body, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) at its June 16 meeting held in York Harbor, Maine. NECHE found that VTSU met all nine accreditation standards, which range from academic programming to integrity and transparency.
Process & Timeline
Accreditation Through NECHE
- The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is the regional accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to review and accredit institutions, ensuring they are providing quality higher education. Accreditation is critically important because it allows institutions to award and distribute federal financial aid. On Friday April 22nd, NECHE’s President confirmed that the substantive change request VSCS submitted was approved. This request was seeking approval for the launch of Vermont State University as an accredited institution on July 1, 2023, and for the ability to have one person serve as the President of the three separately accredited institutions for the 2022-2023 academic year.
- Also approved during the April 2023 meeting was Castleton’s ten-year accreditation review.
- The Vermont State University Substantive Change Submission can be reviewed here. On June 17, 2022, NECHE provided a letter accepting the proposal contingent upon Vermont State University meeting the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation and setting forth a timeline for the submission of two progress reports and a focused evaluation. The first progress report, sent to NECHE for a September 1, 2022 deadline, is now available to be read.
- On September 15, 2022, NECHE sent a letter to certify that at its April 22, 2022 meeting they “voted that, contingent upon its determination that the plans outlined in the substantive change proposal submitted by the Vermont State Colleges System to establish Vermont State University have been successful implemented, Vermont State University be granted initial accreditation, effective July 1, 2023.”
- On October 24, 2022, NECHE sent a letter to inform the VSCS that at its meeting on September 23, 2022 NECHE considered the September progress report submitted by VSCS and accepted it. They also confirmed a second report to be submitted in March 2023 for review at their April 2023 meeting. The second report was submitted and is now available to read.
- On April 28, 2023, VSCS received a letter from NECHE indicating that at its meeting on April 20, 2023, the Commission considered the March progress report submitted by VSCS and accepted it. In the letter, they also requested that VSCS submit an additional progress report. This progress report was submitted June 1, 2023, and will be considered at their June meeting.
- At their meeting which concluded on June 16, 2023, the Commission voted to grant initial accreditation to Vermont State University, effective July 1, 2023. Additional details can be found in the official statement issued by NECHE and its July 10, 2023, letter to President Smith.
- On November 1, 2023, Vermont State University submitted a Progress Report as requested by NECHE at the time of initial accreditation.
Vermont State University is a public university with multiple campuses and learning sites throughout Vermont, and it is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The university is part of the Vermont State Colleges System of higher education, where it is joined by the Community College of Vermont in their collective mission to serve Vermonters for the benefit of the state.
