MSCHE has appointed Dr. Carlota Ocampo, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Trinity Washington University, as Team Chair for St. Francis College’s 2027 Self-Study and Reaffirmation of Accreditation.
Dr. Ocampo has more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership, assessment, accreditation, and student success.
Dr. Carlota Ocampo, MSCHE Self-Study Evaluation Team Chair, will conduct her Preliminary Visit to St. Francis College on Thursday, November 12, 2026. 

Learn more about the SSPV with:

• SFC Self Study Preparation Visit Info pdf

• Self-Study Preparation Visit | St. Francis College

Intended Outcomes of the Self-Study

St. Francis seeks the following outcomes from the Self-study process:

1.     Demonstrate how the institution currently meets the Commission's Standards for                             Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation (Fourteenth Edition) and provides evidence by             Standard in alignment with the Evidence Expectations by Standard. 

2.     Leverage periodic assessment through each standard, using assessment results for                         continuous improvement and innovation to ensure levels of quality for constituents and the         attainment of the institution's priorities, mission, and goals. 

3.      Engage the institutional community in a comprehensive and transparent self-appraisal                    process, including analysis of a range of data, including disaggregated data, to ensure                    students are appropriately served and institutional mission and goals are met.       

4.      To support and advance the college's transformation to align with 21st Century career needs.   

View St. Francis College's Self-Study Design

Self-Study Co-Chairs:

• Dr. Gale Gibson Gayle, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs | Graduate Academic Dean | Accreditation Liaison Officer  

• Dr. John Edwards, Vice President of Academic Affairs | Undergraduate Academic Dean
• Dr. Lavinia Ciungu, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education | Director of the Education Innovation Factory (Faculty Support Center)

Self-Study Steering Committee:

• Dr. Candice Birthwright, Assistant Professor | Chairperson of the Nursing Department
• Dr. Allen Burdowski, Professor in the department of Biology | VP of Health Sciences   
• Ms. Jennifer Graham, Assistant Dean, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation  
• Dr. Caroline Hagood, Associate Professor, Department of Literature, Writing & Publishing and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing | Director of Undergraduate Writing 
• Dr. Raeann Kyriakou, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics | Dean of Students | Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs  
• Ms. Stephanie Ochoa, Associate Director of Executive Administration  

• Dr. Lisa Paolucci, Associate Professor & Department Chair in the department of Education  

• Ms. Sagine Relyea, Director of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies  

St. Francis College has compiled Working Groups consisting of SFC faculty, staff and students that correspond to each of the seven Middle States Standards.

Working Group I: Mission and Goals
Dr. Pierre Lubin (co-chair); Brother Gregory Cellini (co-chair); Prof. James Freeman, Dr. Chih-Yuan Li; Ms. Olivia Wong (student); Mr. Carlos Quiles (student)
Steering Committee member:  Dr. Caroline Hagood

Working Group II: Ethics and Integrity
Dr. Monique Okumakpeyi (co-chair); Dr. Daniel Benson (co-chair); Prof. Eric Malijan Mrs. Nicole Hall; Mr. Keyshawn Griffith; Mr. Brent Ferguson
Steering Committee member: Dr. Raeann Kyriakou

Working Group III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
Dr. Halyna Lemekh (co-chair); Mrs. Kennitha Allahar (co-chair); Dr. Isa Camyar; Dr. Michelle Steven; Mrs. Jennifer Graham; Mrs. Vanessa Rivera
Steering Committee member:  Dr. Candice Birthwright

Working Group IV: Support of Student Experience
Dr. Melissa James (co-chair); Dr. Raeann Kyriakou (co-chair); Dr. Candice Birthwright; Mr. Robert Oliva; Mr. Melvin Stokes (pseudonym Jive Poetics)
Steering Committee member:  Dr. Allen Burdowski

Working Group V: Education Effectiveness Assessment
Dr. Anthony Desiderio (co-chair); Dr. Lisa Paolucci (co-chair); Dr. Lavinia Ciungu; Dr. Raeann Kyriakou; Mrs. Noemi Rivera
Steering Committee Member:  Mrs. Stephanie Ochoa

Working Group VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
Dr. Louis D'Elia (co-chair); Mrs. Jovanna Terzic (co-chair); Dr. Emily Herstoff; Dr. Sunghun Kim; Dr. Chang Xia; Mr. Peter Acimovic; Mr. Manfred Krueger; Mr. Kevin O'Rourke
Steering Committee member:  Dr. Lisa Paolucci

Working Group VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration
Mrs. Hayley Dryer (co-chair); Dr. Filomena Califano (co-chair); Dr. Allen Burdowski; Ms. Ali Ryan Scott, JD;
Prof. Jason Dubow; Prof. Meshawn Decoteau
Steering Committee member:  Mrs. Jennifer Graham
 

Our Working Groups Internal Reports for December 2025 can be found here.

St. Francis College Self Study (August 2019)

St. Francis College - Faculty In-Service Day

St. Francis College Middle States Self Study Kickoff

St. Francis College Middle States Introduction

St. Francis College - Strategic Priorities