Accreditation inAccreditation inHigher EducationHigher Education

Trustees Summer Institute 2009Trustees Summer Institute 2009

Dan Phelan, Dan Phelan, Jackson Community College Jackson Community College

Gary Wheeler, Gary Wheeler, Glen Oaks Community CollegeGlen Oaks Community College

International International pressure… pressure…

professional professional mobilitymobility

ReauthorizationReauthorizationof Higher Educationof Higher Education

Public accountability &Public accountability &higher educationhigher education

Changing contexts, few boundariesChanging contexts, few boundaries

Demand for accessDemand for access

What is driving accreditation of higher education?

Types of AccreditationTypes of Accreditation Institutional or Institutional or

RegionalRegional

NEACSNEACSMSAMSASACSSACSWASCWASCNWACSNWACSHLCHLC

NationalNational SpecializedSpecialized ProfessionalProfessional

U.S. has approx. 3500regionally (institutionally)

accredited institutions(HLC has 1003 and

counting….)

U.S. has approx. 3500regionally (institutionally)

accredited institutions(HLC has 1003 and

counting….)

NWCCU

SACS

WASC

MSCHE

NEASC

HLC-North Central-

Institutional AccreditorsInstitutional Accreditors

Diversity in the Membership Diversity in the Membership of Institutions (1000+)of Institutions (1000+)

Two-year Institutions Two-year Institutions Four-year Bachelor’s InstitutionsFour-year Bachelor’s Institutions Four-year Liberal Arts InstitutionsFour-year Liberal Arts Institutions Comprehensive InstitutionsComprehensive Institutions Faith Based InstitutionsFaith Based Institutions Research UniversitiesResearch Universities Single Purpose InstitutionsSingle Purpose Institutions Public, Private NFP, and For ProfitPublic, Private NFP, and For Profit Virtual InstitutionsVirtual Institutions AQIP (185) and PEAQ (820) InstitutionsAQIP (185) and PEAQ (820) Institutions

The Higher Learning The Higher Learning CommissionCommission

Established in 1895Established in 1895 New Mission: 2000New Mission: 2000 New Criteria: 2005 (adopted 2003)New Criteria: 2005 (adopted 2003) Pathways projectsPathways projects

““Serving the common good by assuring Serving the common good by assuring and advancing the quality of higher and advancing the quality of higher learning.”learning.”

““Serving the common good by assuring Serving the common good by assuring and advancing the quality of higher and advancing the quality of higher learning.”learning.”

PEER REVIEW CORPS+/- 1300 MEMBERS

Consultant-EvaluatorsConsultant-Evaluators

ReviewersReviewers

Corps Advisory Team Members

Two Primary Purposes Evaluate, Confirm, and Evaluate, Confirm, and

Publicly certify (assure) the Publicly certify (assure) the quality of the organizationquality of the organization

Provide consultation Provide consultation intended for the ongoing intended for the ongoing quality improvement quality improvement (advancement) of the (advancement) of the organizationorganization

Basic Expectations

♦ ProfessionalismProfessionalism

♦ CompetenceCompetence

♦ ObjectivityObjectivity

♦ Generalist vs. Specialist/ExpertGeneralist vs. Specialist/Expert

To assess the quality of an institution and its effectiveness

To assist the institution in making improvements in its operations and effectiveness

To provide mission-driven accreditation

Focus of Accreditation

Self-StudySelf-Study

2-3 yearsS-S Report

Team VisitTeam Visit

Interviews, EvaluationEngagement

Exit Session & Rec.

DecisionDecisionMakingMaking

2-part ReportAssurance &Advancement

ARC (Readers/Rev. Comm.)IAC

Board of Trustees

PEAQ PathwayPEAQ Pathway

Typical is a 10-year reaccreditation

decision.

1

4

7

AQIP Pathway

Cycles of SystematicQuality Improvement

Board of Trustees

Institutional Actions Council (IAC)

AccreditationReview Council

(ARC)

PEAQTeam Recs.

AQIP Reaff.Panel Recs.

Decision-makingDecision-making

All Peer Reviewers must know the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation and be familiar with the

Commission and its work.

AQIP Reviewers have an extra package of

knowledge to learn.

The Commission has oneset of standards:

the Criteria for AccreditationThe Commission has twoThe Commission has twoProcesses leading to Processes leading to

Continued accreditation:Continued accreditation:PEAQ & AQIPPEAQ & AQIPThe AQIP The AQIP processprocess has has

AQIP Criteria & Principles.AQIP Criteria & Principles.The The processprocess fulfills the fulfills the

Commission’sCommission’sCriteria for Accreditation.Criteria for Accreditation.

Ongoing RelationshipOngoing Relationship

Annual Institutional Data Update

Statement of Affiliation Status

Interim Monitoring

Sanction

Support Programming & Services

PEAQ and AQIP

Paths to improve quality

PEAQ PEAQ and and AQIP AQIP

Complete PhysicalComplete Physical Fitness ProgramFitness Program

Periodic comprehensive evaluation and

follow up.

Periodic comprehensive evaluation and

follow up.

Ongoing implementation of

improvement activities and processes.

Ongoing implementation of

improvement activities and processes.

Common elementsCommon elementsSame dues, broad policiesSame dues, broad policiesSame annual report (with Same annual report (with

organizational indicators)organizational indicators)Same fundamental expectations for Same fundamental expectations for

maintaining accreditationmaintaining accreditationSame “Federal Compliance Program” Same “Federal Compliance Program”

expectationsexpectationsSame Criteria for AccreditationSame Criteria for AccreditationConsistency in decision-making Consistency in decision-making

ProcessProcess

Academic Quality Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)Improvement Program (AQIP)

To infuse the principles and benefits To infuse the principles and benefits

of continuous improvement into the of continuous improvement into the

culture of colleges and universities culture of colleges and universities

in order to assure and advance the in order to assure and advance the

quality of higher education.quality of higher education.

Goal

14 Participating Michigan Colleges

Bay de Noc Community College Mott Community College Delta College Glen Oaks Community College Gogebic Community College Grand Rapids Community College Jackson Community College

Kirtland Community College Lansing Community College Mid Michigan Community

College Montcalm Community College Northwestern Michigan College Schoolcraft College West Shore Community College

AQIP’s Quality Principles

• Focusing on key processes• Basing decisions on data• Decentralizing control• Empowering staff and faculty to

make the decisions directly affecting their work

• Modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

Other Components of AQIP

• Systems thinking: Way of helping to view systems

from a broad perspective that includes seeing overall structures, patterns and cycles in systems, rather than seeing only one specific event in the systems

Help to quickly identify the real causes of issues in organizations and know just where to address them

Other Components of AQIP

• Stakeholder focus: Building relationships with students and other

stakeholders Determining key factors that attract students

and lead to student and stakeholder satisfaction, loyalty, student persistence, increased educational services and programs and organizational sustainability

Exceeding customer expectations Focusing on use of customer complaint data

Principles of High Performance Organizations

A mission and vision that focus on serving students’ and other stakeholders’ needs

Broad-based faculty, staff and administrative involvement

Leaders and leadership systems that support a quality culture

A learning-centered environment

Respect for people and willingness to invest in them

Collaboration and a shared institutional focus

Agility, flexibility and responsiveness to changing needs and conditions

Planning for innovation and improvement

Fact-based information-gathering and thinking to support analysis and decision-making

Integrity and responsible institutional citizenship

AQIP Campus work—

• Strategy Forum• Action Projects• Systems Portfolio• Systems Appraisal• Quality Checkup (site visit)• Re-affirmation

Annual updates and periodic elements

Action Projects

• Provides focus for institutions to work on not more than three pressing projects

• Provides finite, concrete place to begin or continue the quality improvement efforts

• Provides institutions time to gather data for the Systems Portfolio

• Mini-Action Projects (MAPs)

Systems Portfolio

• 75-100 page (double-spaced) public portfolio describing fundamental institutional systems

• Covers the nine AQIP categories• Created once (gradually through

the first four years) and then continually updated

• Valuable resource

Maintaining Accreditation

• All Commission-accredited colleges and universities must demonstrate they meet the five criteria of accreditation

• While AQIP processes for maintaining accredited status differ from those used in PEAQ, the fundamental requirements are the same

QUESTIONS?