Middle States Accreditation records

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) can trace its origins to the founding of the Rochester Athenaeum in 1829. After joining with several different Rochester institutions during the 19th century, the Athenaeum finally merged with the Mechanics Institute (founded in 1885) in 1891 to form the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute (RAMI). RAMI changed its name to the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1944 to better reflect the Institute's role in the field of technical education.

During the early 1950s, the university started to discuss becoming accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Middle States (as it is often called) is a regional accreditating organization for the following states and territories: Delaware; Florida; Maryland; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In January 1957, Dr. Leo F. Smith, Dean of Instruction at RIT, announced that the school was about to undertake a self-evaluation process. A large portion of this evaluation was to be the final report required by Middle States as part of the accreditation process.

This self-assessment was not the first evaluation performed by the Institute. Starting in 1928, the university continually sought to find ways to improve its educational program. Then, in 1944 a planning committee was formed to evaluate the school's programs and facilities in preparation for enrollment increases following World War II. Still, the self-evaluation planned for 1958 was the largest formal assessment ever conducted at the university.

The university had several reasons to seek accreditation. Being accredited would increase the prestige of the university in the educational community. Additionally, if Middle States granted the accreditation, credits from RIT would more easily transfer to other accredited institutions and the university would be eligible for more grants and awards for educational research. With rising enrollment figures and increasing pressure to admit more students, a university-wide self-evaluation made sense.

Dr. James W. Wilson, Coordinator of Educational Research at RIT, was named the chairman of the steering committee for the evaluation. Over 100 people including faculty, staff, and administrators, were divided into 20 committees to assess RIT's current situation and identify the university's future needs. The school's administration hoped to address three questions during the evaluation: