Macalester Receives Full Re-Accreditation for Maximum 10-Year Term

When prospective students and their families choose a college, they’re counting on the institution to tell an accurate story about what the student can expect—and then fulfill that commitment. For colleges and universities across the United States, the external accreditation process is an important tool for assessing whether institutions are delivering on those promises.

This winter, Macalester learned from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) that the college has received full accreditation for the maximum ten-year term. This determination was based on extensive data collected from an institutionally submitted  assurance argument and a two-day campus visit. The external review team concluded that Macalester’s clear mission permeates the college’s operations and academic programs. Given the college’s many strengths observed in the success, the review team recommended and HLC granted Macalester flexibility to choose its accreditation pathway for the next ten-year accreditation cycle. 

“This result is affirmation that everyone on campus is working hard to meet the standards and goals we’ve set for ourselves—and to honor Macalester’s mission and values,” President Suzanne M. Rivera says. “I’m really grateful for the work that went in to prepare for the site visit and for the thoughtful ways our community members engaged with this rigorous external review process.”

The milestone concludes an 18-month process at the end of a ten-year accreditation cycle. For the first time at Macalester, the planning process was a collaborative effort led by a committee of staff and faculty across campus. That committee convened to write an assurance argument, drawing on their varied perspectives and experiences to build the case for reaccreditation. Then, a two-day site visit in November 2025 gave the review committee opportunities to dig deeper into themes from the assurance argument, and discuss observations  with many more campus community members. At ten meetings held during the site visit, students, faculty, and staff underscored the work happening around campus, the community’s commitment to continuous improvement, and the college’s mission and values.

Throughout the assessment process, the external review team evaluated Macalester’s current practices and worked to gain an in-depth understanding of the college’s commitment to its mission and student success. Reviewers focused on four criteria: mission; integrity (ethical and responsible conduct); teaching and learning for student success; and sustainability (institutional effectiveness, resources, and planning).

“At a time when the validity of the accreditation process is being questioned in the national discourse, we’re affirming the importance of taking this process seriously,” Rivera says. “It’s meaningful information for students and their families. As we begin the next ten-year cycle and start over at year one, we’re thinking about how we can continue to improve at Macalester, and we appreciate HLC’s work to make sure accreditation continues to be a valuable evaluation tool.”