2025 Middle States Self-Study Report

Read the Full Executive Summary

Established in 1807, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is Maryland’s public health, law, and human services university, dedicated to excellence in education, research, clinical care, and public service. UMB is located on 65 acres on the westside of downtown Baltimore.

In February 2025, UMB was officially designated a Research 1 (R1) Institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This recognition acknowledges UMB’s long-standing excellence in research, particularly driven by our School of Medicine. R1 status is a significant milestone that highlights our commitment to groundbreaking research and development, attracts funding, and enhances UMB’s global reputation. UMB has long been a research powerhouse, and this designation reflects the extensive contributions of our faculty, researchers, and students.

To achieve R1 status, universities must spend at least $50 million on research and development in a year and award at least 70 research doctorates each year. UMB first spent more than $50 million annually on research in 1987. In Fiscal Year 2024, UMB secured more than $638 million in research awards from both for-profit and nonprofit sponsors across our seven schools, which continue to drive innovative solutions to address societal challenges, improve health, and contribute to the global good.

UMB offers doctoral, master’s, baccalaureate, and certificate programs and confers more than half of the health care, human services, and law professional degrees in Maryland each year. In addition to Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation, many other schools/programs participate in their own self-study processes as part of their professional accreditation. This distinctive feature of UMB yields a rich culture of self-appraisal across the institution.

UMB enrolls 6,636 students, of which 960 are upper-division undergraduates in nursing, dental hygiene, and medical technology. A majority of students are enrolled in UMB’s professional schools — Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work — and the interdisciplinary School of Graduate Studies. Across UMB’s primary entry-into-practice programs, the 100 percent time-to-degree-graduation rate averages 84 percent, and the 150 percent time-to-degree graduation rate averages 92 percent. UMB takes pride in the fact that students generally complete at the same rate regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity.

As a public state institution, UMB’s institutional assessment philosophy is significantly influenced and shaped by drivers at the state, University System of Maryland, and University levels. To be sure, much of the assessment that UMB engages in is mandated, particularly at the state level. However, instead of approaching its assessment and reporting under these programs as simply a compliance activity, UMB has adopted a holistic institutional assessment model that is responsive and accountable to its stakeholders, advances the University’s mission and vision, and utilizes assessment data and information to evaluate the effectiveness of its programs. This multilevel assessment program allows UMB to create clear goals and set a course for the future as the University nurtures a culture of quality and maintains a commitment to excellence in education.

The mission, core values, and strategic plan guide institutional stakeholders in planning and decision-making, encourage scholarly and creative activity at levels and types appropriate to UMB, and drive academic program and curricular development. Goals that focus on student learning and related outcomes are supported by administrative, educational, and student support programs and services as described in detail for Standards III, IV, and V.

UMB’s schools and units use high-level institutional outcomes to identify their own specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that are directly aligned with UMB’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan Implementation Management System is used to assist schools and individual units in aligning their goals with University priorities and tracking progress in achieving goals.

UMB’s schools and units use high-level institutional outcomes to identify their own specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that are directly aligned with UMB’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan Implementation Management System is used to assist schools and individual units in aligning their goals with University priorities and tracking progress in achieving goals.

The themes of the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan are:

1. Accountability and Integration of Core Values
2. Student Growth and Success
3. University Culture, Engagement, and Belonging
4. Innovation and Reimagination
5. Community Partnership and Collaboration
6. Global Engagement and Education

Resource allocation of UMB’s $1.67 billion annual budget is tied to both the core values and the strategic outcomes. Requests for funding are vetted by the Funding Model Workgroup composed of deans, vice presidents, and administrative deans. A thoughtful and intentional budgeting process ensures that resources and revenue streams are in place to support the UMB’s mission and goals.

Statement of the Standard
The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.

Requirement of Affiliation (ROA)

ROA 7: The institution has a mission statement and related goals, approved by its governing board, that defines its purposes within the context of higher education.

Statement of Compliance
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard I and all associated criteria as well as Requirement of Affiliation 7. The clear mission statement and complementary vision defines the University’s purpose, whom it serves, and the scope of its impact. Companion documents, such as UMB’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, reflect the operational commitment to the mission.

Summary Determination
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard I and all associated criteria; and with Requirement of Affiliation 7. The University’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals, as presented in UMB’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.

Opportunities for Improvement
Enhance mission awareness by conducting four-year cycle evaluations of UMB’s brand, incorporating mission awareness queries, setting public awareness objectives, and implementing targeted initiatives. Create a centralized repository for community impact data to streamline internal analysis and support public education and outreach efforts.

Read Full Standard I: Mission and Goals 

Statement of the Standard
Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.

Requirements of Affiliation (ROA)

ROA 4: The institution’s representatives communicate with the commission in English, both orally and in writing.

ROA 5: The institution complies with all applicable government (usually federal and state) laws and regulations.

ROA 6: The institution complies with applicable commission, interregional, and interinstitutional policies.

ROA 14: The institution and its governing body/bodies make freely available to the commission accurate, fair, and complete information on all aspects of the institution and its operations. The governing body/bodies ensure that the institution describes itself in comparable and consistent terms to all its accrediting and regulatory agencies, communicates any changes in accredited status, and agrees to disclose information (including levels of governing body compensation, if any) required by the commission to carry out its accrediting responsibilities.

Statement of Compliance
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard II and all associated criteria as well as with Requirements of Affiliation 4, 5, 6, and 14. UMB communicates with the commission in English and complies with all applicable government laws and regulations and applicable commission, interregional, and interinstitutional policies.

UMB and its governing body, the University System of Maryland, faithfully provide the commission with accurate, fair, and complete information related to all aspects of the institution and its operations, provide consistent information to accrediting and regulatory agencies, and, as public institutions, disclose compensation for all employees. 

Summary Determination
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) fully adheres to Standard II and all associated criteria as well as with Requirements of Affiliation 4, 5, 6, and 14. The University demonstrates a steadfast commitment to ethics and integrity, evident in its overarching mission and goals, core values, policies, procedures, and robust support systems tailored to assist students, staff, and faculty. The institution’s comprehensive organizational structure facilitates thorough oversight and reviews at various levels, including the system, university, school, and departmental tiers. Moreover, UMB remains dedicated to advancing ethical considerations, with specific focus on affordability, communications, compliance, and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. This integrated approach reflects the institution’s ongoing dedication to fostering a culture of ethical excellence and continuous improvement.

Opportunities for Improvements
Evaluate existing University, system, and school policies to identify and resolve inconsistencies, aiming for a cohesive framework. Develop a strategic plan for artificial intelligence that considers its policy impacts and provides ethical guidelines for academic use.

Read Full Standard II: Ethics and Integrity 

An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program/pace schedule, level, and setting, are consistent with higher education expectations.

Requirements of Affiliation 

ROA 1: The institution is authorized or licensed to operate as a postsecondary educational institution and to award postsecondary degrees; it provides written documentation demonstrating both. Authorization or licensure is from an appropriate governmental organization or agency within the Middle States region, as well as by other agencies as required by each of the jurisdictions, regions, or countries in which the institution operates.

ROA 9: The institution’s student learning programs and opportunities are characterized by rigor, coherence, and appropriate assessment of student achievement throughout the educational offerings, regardless of certificate or degree level or delivery and instructional modality.

ROA 15: The institution has a core of faculty (full time or part time) and/or other appropriate professionals with sufficient responsibility to the institution to assure the continuity and coherence of the institution’s educational programs.

Statement of Compliance
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard III and all associated criteria as well as Requirements of Affiliation 1, 9, and 15. All offerings are rigorous, coherent, and consistent with higher education expectations. Four of the six UMB strategic goals directly relate to the delivery of the student learning experience, specifically Student Growth and Success; University Culture, Engagement, and Belonging; Innovation and Reimagination; and Global Engagement and Education. 

Summary of Determination
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard III and all associated criteria and with Requirements of Affiliations 1, 9, and 15. In addition to MSCHE’s periodic accreditation review, UMB’s primary entry-into-practice programs are regularly reviewed by specialized accreditation bodies. These self-studies are supplemented by continuous assessment of the effectiveness of student learning experiences. UMB prides itself on providing high-quality education and an exceptional student experience to a diverse student body. UMB’s students, and the faculty who teach them, form a diverse team committed to academic rigor, student success, and continuous improvement.

Opportunities for Improvement
Systematically survey alumni and their employers to inform curriculum content and design, and ensure that students are proficient upon graduation with emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence to prepare them for the careers of the future. Develop a comprehensive integration strategy to more effectively and intentionally connect the students and faculty at the Universities at Shady Grove to the activities and services on the Baltimore campus.

Read Full Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience

Statement of the Standard

Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.

Requirement of Affiliation (ROA)

ROA 2: The institution is operational, with students actively enrolled in its degree programs.

Statement of Compliance 

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard IV and all associated criteria as well as Requirement of Affiliation 2. UMB recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are consistent with the UMB mission statement. Additionally, it prioritizes students throughout the University’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, which includes Student Growth and Success as one of its six themes.

Summary Determination
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard IV and all associated criteria and also with Requirement of Affiliation 2. Its students’ interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with the University’s and school’s missions and educational offerings. UMB provides a coherent and effective system of support services provided at the University and school levels that support student retention, persistence, completion, and success.

Opportunities for Improvement
To optimize mental health and wellness supports for students, a holistic approach should be taken, providing necessary resources to UMB's Student Counseling Center (SCC )and promoting awareness of student counseling and crisis services. Additionally, addressing other student needs such as food insecurity and housing assistance is crucial. Prioritizing initiatives that promote equity and respect for all members of the University community is essential, including assessing resources and staffing at the school and University levels. Increasing first-generation college student programming and support, addressing systemic financial insecurities of marginalized communities, promoting intergroup engagement, and supporting non-native English speakers also should be focal points.

Read Full Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience

Statement of the Standard
Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.

Requirements of Affiliation (ROA)

ROA 8: The institution systematically evaluates its educational and other programs and makes public how well and in what ways it is accomplishing its purposes.

ROA 9: The institution’s student learning programs and opportunities are characterized by rigor, coherence, and appropriate assessment of student achievement throughout the educational offerings, regardless of certificate or degree level or delivery and instructional modality.

Statement of Compliance
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard V and all associated criteria and also with Requirements of Affiliation 8 and 9. Through its solid organizational structure, the institution oversees robust assessment processes to ensure that students successfully meet the educational goals of their respective programs. These assessment processes incorporate input from many perspectives, combining bottom-up, top-down, and outside-in feedback.

Summary Determination
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) fully adheres to Standard V and all associated criteria as well as the Requirements of Affiliation 8 and 9. UMB’s course-, program-, and University-level infrastructures support a multilayered approach to assessing educational effectiveness. Its ingrained culture of assessment includes a combination of effective internal and external processes, combining to ensure that each degree-granting program is educationally sound and responsive to the needs of its students. Moreover, the University uses assessment of student learning and achievement to demonstrate that its students accomplish program, degree, and institutional educational goals. University actions taken since the last site visit have improved the documentation and standardization of assessment activities, strengthening the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of UMB’s institutional effectiveness processes. *Under the oversight of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning, and Assessment’s (IESPA), this included the establishment of the Best Practices in Assessment Group (BPAG) and the development of the Academic Program Assessment and Improvement Report (APAIR) system that facilitates the documentation and standardization of assessment activities at the school and program levels and advances UMB’s culture of assessment.

Opportunities for Improvement
Provide support to accurately assess student achievement and communicate results to stakeholders. Assessment coordinators acknowledge the effort required for effective programs and educational excellence. Publicize to faculty, students, and other constituents information about UMB’s academic programs and provide more insight into the internal reviews and quality improvement processes involved. Periodically evaluate the institution’s assessment processes to improve educational effectiveness and promote the APAIR reporting system among administrators for increased data transparency. Regularly share results with key stakeholders and standardize curriculum maps and educational information locations for each program to ensure compliance. UMB’s Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning should offer and expand resources such as training, instructional support, and consultation to assist program directors, especially new ones, in developing learning objectives and curriculum maps. This will help standardize reporting and provide centralized support through the Office of the Provost to complement school-based efforts.

Read Full Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Statement of the Standard
The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.

Requirements of Affiliation (ROA)

ROA 10: Institutional planning integrates goals for academic and institutional effectiveness and improvement, student achievement of educational goals, student learning, and the results of academic and institutional assessments.

ROA 11: The institution has documented financial resources, funding base, and plans for financial development, including those from any related entities adequate to support its educational stability. The institution demonstrates a record of responsible fiscal management, has a prepared budget for the current year, and undergoes an external financial audit annually.

Statement of Compliance
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard VI and all associated criteria as well as Requirements of Affiliation 10 and 11 The University recognizes the need to assure all stakeholders that, as an institution of higher learning, UMB is committed to student success. We also recognize that student success cannot be realized without deliberate and sustained commitment to institutional effectiveness. Accordingly, UMB has in place a robust internal assessment program that evaluates and supports the implementation of its strategic plan; guides the budgeting, capital planning, and facilities renewal processes; identifies and manages institutional risks; monitors each of its schools’ accreditation processes; and evaluates the effectiveness of the University’s executive leaders. UMB has the fiscal and human resources and physical and technical infrastructure to carry out its educational mission and support its operations. Significant fiscal and human resources support the University. UMB continues to see significant improvements that better serve students, faculty, and staff.

Summary Determination
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) fully adheres to Standard VI and all associated criteria and with Requirements of Affiliation 10 and 11. The University is fiscally sound and well prepared to continue its important mission. Through careful planning, fiscal responsibility, and the participation of representatives from throughout the UMB community, the University continues operations uninterrupted. Further, the University’s planning and resource allocation, human resources, information technology, and facilities allow the institution to fulfill its mission and goals, assess and improve its programs, and respond effectively to opportunities and challenges. Student success at UMB is undergirded by deliberate and sustained institutional planning.

Opportunities for Improvement
Enhance coordination of assessment activities in non-academic units by developing a centralized method for administering and analyzing assessments from various administrative areas. This approach will increase efficiency and provide better planning and management of assessment activities. Include University community members and surrounding residents in assessing plans for improving near-campus vibrancy through the Vibrancy Project. Their feedback will help enhance safety, aesthetic appeal, and overall vibrancy, making the area more attractive for UMB employees, students, and visitors. Utilize recent data on campus building usage to evaluate space adequacy and efficiency. This will guide the reallocation and repurposing of facilities to support UMB’s mission and emerging research needs.

Read Full Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvements

Statement of the Standard
The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

Requirements of Affiliation (ROA)

ROA 12: The institution fully discloses its legally constituted governance structure(s) including any related entities (including without limitation systems, religious sponsorship, and corporate ownership). The institution’s governing body is responsible for the quality and integrity of the institution and for ensuring that the institution’s mission is being accomplished.

ROA 13: A majority of the institution’s governing body’s members have no employment, family, ownership, or other personal financial interest in the institution. The governing body adheres to a conflict of interest policy that assures that those interests are disclosed and that they do not interfere with the impartiality of governing body members or outweigh the greater duty to secure and ensure the academic and fiscal integrity of the institution. The institution’s district/system or other chief executive officer shall not serve as the chair of the governing body.

Statement of Compliance
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is in full compliance with Standard VII and all associated criteria as well as with Requirements of Affiliation 12 and 13. The University is governed and administered in a manner that allows the institution to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and other constituents it serves. UMB is governed by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents and has an internal governance structure that is clear, articulated, and transparent. The leadership team and shared governance bodies work together to meet the University’s mission. Annually, the president and leadership undergo reviews that inform divisional changes as necessary.

Summary Determination
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) fully adheres to Standard VII and all associated criteria and with Requirements of Affiliation 12 and 13. The University is governed and administered in a manner that allows the institution to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituents it serves. UMB is governed by the Board of Regents and has an internal governance structure that is clear, articulated, and transparent. The leadership team and shared governance bodies work together to meet the University’s mission. Annually, the president and leadership undergo reviews that inform divisional changes as necessary.

Opportunity for Improvement
Improve communication about leadership assessments, especially 360-degree reviews for vice presidents and deans.

 Read Full Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration