Leadership Team Meeting Minutes — June 17, 2026
MSCHE Pre-Applicant Briefing  ·  Virtual (Video Conference)  ·  Facilitated by Dr. Ilia Matos
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Date
June 17, 2026
Format
Virtual — Video Conference
Meeting Type
MSCHE Pre-Applicant Briefing
Facilitator
Dr. Ilia Matos
Inaru Education Partners
Presiding
Faisal (Sal) Ismail
Founder, President & CEO, UMF
Critical Date
September 1, 2026
MSCHE Pre-Applicant Site Visit
1 — Attendees
Name Title / Role Department
Dr. Ilia MatosPrincipal, Accreditation ConsultantInaru Education Partners
Faisal (Sal) IsmailFounder, President & CEOExecutive Leadership
Dr. AvisChief Academic OfficerAcademic Affairs
Fawzi IsmailAdmissions & Student ServicesStudent Services
Fabiano BaiochiRegistrarRegistrar's Office
Dr. Valerie TavskukHospitality Management Faculty / LeadHospitality Program
Dr. Sammy Lee YoungComputer Information Systems LeadCIS Program
Dr. GriffinMBA Program Lead / FacultyMBA Program
DavidCompliance / LMS SupportOperations
2 — Purpose of Meeting

Dr. Matos convened UMF's full leadership team for the first time to brief all program leads, faculty, and administrative staff on:

  • UMF's current Pre-Applicant status with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • The four-stage MSCHE accreditation pathway and where UMF stands today
  • Requirements for the upcoming Pre-Applicant Site Visit on September 1, 2026
  • Roles and responsibilities each team member must demonstrate on visit day
  • Immediate action items to prepare the institution for progression to Applicant status
3 — Key Discussion Points
3.1
UMF's Current Accreditation Status
Pre-Applicant Status Granted by MSCHE
  • UMF has been officially granted Pre-Applicant status by MSCHE.
  • This follows a transition from a DEAC accreditation pathway.
  • Dr. Matos recommended MSCHE because it allows institutions to grow in phases, which better fits UMF's current evolutionary stage.
  • MSCHE accredits top-tier institutions: Columbia University, Penn State, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, Fordham, and others.
3.2
The Four-Stage MSCHE Accreditation Pathway
Current Stage: Pre-Applicant
Stage Status Key Milestone UMF Target
1 Pre-Applicant ★ CURRENT Site visit confirming institutional existence Visit: Sept 1, 2026
2 Applicant Submit Candidacy Assessment Report (CAR) After Sept 1, 2026 visit
3 Candidate Full team evaluation; demonstrate standards compliance Target: June 2027
4 Accredited Full MSCHE membership Following candidacy period
3.3
The September 1, 2026 Site Visit
One-day on-site — All leadership required in person
Critical Reminder MSCHE evaluators can only ask questions based on documentation already submitted with the Pre-Applicant application. Nothing more, nothing less.

The visit is conducted by one MSCHE Vice President and one peer evaluator. All leadership team members are required to be physically present at UMF's administrative offices. Three core elements are evaluated:

Institutional Existence
MSCHE must physically confirm UMF has a real office address and that leadership operates from that location.
Financial Awareness
Each department head must demonstrate awareness of the budget process, including what decisions require budget approval.
Org Chart Alignment
Every person on the org chart must be present, know their role, and speak confidently about their responsibilities.
3.4
Financial Standing
CFI Score: 5.21 — Above minimum threshold
UMF Composite Financial Index (CFI)
5.21
Strong financial readiness — all team members should know this figure.
MSCHE Minimum Required CFI
3.0
UMF exceeds the threshold to begin the accreditation process.
  • Annual audited financial statements are required going forward.
  • Statements must include MSCHE-specified financial ratios.
3.5
Academic Programs and Catalog
Credential-level accreditation — delivery model now flexible
  • MSCHE accredits at the credential level, not individual programs.
  • UMF's graduate-level standing is fully acceptable.
  • Pursuit of doctoral-level programs is paused until UMF reaches Candidacy status.
  • The current catalog is compliant with state licensing standards but needs to be elevated to align with other MSCHE-accredited institutions before candidacy.
  • Program delivery mode is no longer constrained by DEAC's 51% online rule — each program lead may determine their own delivery model.
  • Delivery model decisions must be documented with evidence.
3.6
Governance and Board
Independent governing board — required expertise areas
  • MSCHE requires a governing board that is independent from day-to-day operations.
  • No board member (except the president as a non-voting member) should be involved in operational decisions.
  • Board members must collectively demonstrate expertise in: Finance, Policy & Procedure, Academic Programs, and Admissions/Enrollment.
  • Bylaws have been submitted but still need review and finalization.
  • A Conflict of Interest Policy and Procedure will be distributed to all team members for signature and retention.
3.7
Communications and Accreditation Disclosures
Critical compliance — violations can result in loss of Pre-Applicant status
Critical Compliance Item Violations have resulted in institutions losing their Pre-Applicant status. Every team member must follow these rules without exception.
  • UMF may communicate about MSCHE accreditation only using the exact language posted in the official disclosure on the UMF website (About Us > Accreditation).
  • The MSCHE logo may NOT be used in any posts, materials, or communications.
  • Do not add personal language, interpretation, or expanded commentary when posting publicly.
  • Each phase (Pre-Applicant, Applicant, Candidate, Accredited) has a different required disclosure.
  • The website must archive all prior disclosures with their original posting dates.
  • Dr. Matos will share the official policy and approved language blurb with all team members.
3.8
Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness
Strategic plan skeleton + outcomes crosswalk required before CAR
  • UMF does not yet have a formal strategic plan. A working strategic plan skeleton must be developed before the CAR submission.
  • An Institutional Effectiveness Plan has been submitted.
  • Dr. Matos and Dr. Avis are currently working on the Institutional Assessment Cycle.
  • A mission-to-objectives crosswalk has been submitted. The remaining two levels — objectives to program learning outcomes, and program outcomes to student learning outcomes — are still incomplete and must be addressed by program leads.
Student Achievement Indicators — Must Be Tracked, Calculated & Published FDE enrollment  ·  Retention rate  ·  Graduation rate  ·  Placement rate  ·  Transfer rates
4 — High-Priority Focus Areas Before September 1, 2026
01
Attend the Site Visit in Person
All leadership team members must be physically present at UMF administrative offices on September 1, 2026. Plan travel the day before if needed.
Sept 1
02
Know Your Role on the Org Chart
Every person on the organizational chart must clearly state their role, responsibilities, and connection to the institutional mission.
Before Sept 1
03
Understand the Budget Process
Each team member must speak to their department's budget awareness: what you can approve, what requires Sal's sign-off, and how financial decisions flow.
Before Sept 1
04
Complete the Mission-to-Outcomes Crosswalk
Program leads (Dr. Tavskuk, Dr. Young, Dr. Griffin) must complete the program learning outcomes and student learning outcomes crosswalk aligned to institutional objectives.
Before CAR
05
Review All Submitted Evidence
Sal will share the Google Drive folder with all documents submitted to MSCHE. Every team member must study content relevant to their role before the visit.
Before Sept 1
06
Follow Accreditation Communication Rules
Only use the approved disclosure language when speaking publicly about UMF's accreditation. Do not use the MSCHE logo. When in doubt, ask Dr. Matos before posting.
Immediately
07
Discuss Program Delivery Model
Program leads must begin discussions on preferred delivery format (synchronous/asynchronous, online/on-site blend). Decisions must be documented.
Before Candidacy
08
Catalog Upgrade
Begin work to align the UMF catalog with standards expected at MSCHE-accredited institutions. Target completion before the start of the next academic year (September 2026).
By Sept 2026
5 — Action Items
# Owner Action Item Deadline
1 Sal Ismail Share Google Drive folder containing all MSCHE Pre-Applicant submission documents with the full leadership team. Immediately
2 Dr. Matos Share the official MSCHE accreditation disclosure language (policy and blurb) with all team members for use in public communications. This Week
3 Dr. Matos Resend Pre-Applicant site visit sample agenda to Dr. Young (correct email) and confirm all team members have received it. This Week
4 All Team Members Review all submitted Pre-Applicant evidence documents in the shared Google Drive folder and study content relevant to your role. Before Sept 1
5 All Team Members Be physically present at UMF administrative offices on September 1, 2026 for the MSCHE Pre-Applicant site visit. Sept 1, 2026
6 Fawzi (Fabi) Recalculate enrollment, retention, graduation, placement, and transfer rates using MSCHE's published Annual Institutional Update formulas. Before Candidacy
7 Program Leads Complete the Program Learning Outcomes and Student Learning Outcomes crosswalk aligned to UMF's institutional objectives. Before CAR
8 Program Leads Begin internal discussions on program delivery model (synchronous/asynchronous ratio, on-site vs. online) and document the decision. Before Candidacy
9 Dr. Avis + Dr. Matos Continue development of the Institutional Assessment Cycle and prepare the strategic plan skeleton. Before CAR
10 Sal Ismail + Governing Board Finalize and execute the Conflict of Interest Policy and Procedure. Distribute to all team members for signature. Before Sept 1
11 Sal Ismail Begin UMF catalog upgrade to align with standards expected of MSCHE-accredited institutions. By Sept 2026
12 Dr. Matos Organize a mock pre-applicant site visit with guiding questions to prepare the full leadership team before September 1. Within 3 Weeks
13 All Team Members Immediately remove any unauthorized MSCHE-related social media posts. Only use the approved disclosure language going forward. Immediately
6 — Next Steps
1
Sal distributes the shared Google Drive evidence folder to all team members this week.
2
Dr. Matos distributes the approved accreditation disclosure language and the pre-applicant evaluator report template.
3
All team members begin self-study of submitted evidence, focusing on their specific role.
4
Dr. Matos schedules a mock visit preparation session within the next three weeks.
5
Full team confirms availability and travel arrangements for September 1, 2026 in Orlando.
6
After a successful pre-applicant visit, UMF moves to Applicant status and begins drafting the Candidacy Assessment Report (CAR).
Target Milestone
Candidacy status by June 2027 — if all phases are completed efficiently.
University of Mid-Florida  ·  CIE License #9015  ·  Orlando, Florida
Minutes prepared by: Institutional Records  ·  Meeting Date: June 17, 2026