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Louise Zak, Associate Director

Commission on Institutions of Higher Education

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

http://cihe.neasc.org

U.S. ACCREDITATION:

CHARACTERISTICS

TYPES OF AGENCIES

BENEFITS

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U.S. Accreditation is System of Self-Regulation1. Setting the Standards

2. Agreeing to abide by Standards and policies

3. Peer review

Educational value of the process for those who participate.

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U.S. Features that Help Define Accreditation

1. Historical: Private institutions first

1885 NEASC

2. Political: U.S. federal system and the Constitution

3. Strong tradition of voluntary associations

4. Not really a system• Decentralized• Large: 7,000 institutions, 19.5 million

students• Diverse, all age students• Serves a mobile society • Porous – and forgiving

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REFLECTION OF REFLECTION OF AMERICAN CULTUREAMERICAN CULTURE

Optimism about changeOptimism about change Freedom of choice, individual Freedom of choice, individual

autonomyautonomy Competition, “marketplace of Competition, “marketplace of

ideas”ideas” PragmatismPragmatism Ongoing self-improvementOngoing self-improvement

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“Who accredits the accreditors?”

Recognition by

1. U.S. Secretary of Education

2. Council for Higher Education Accreditation

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“The Triad”

1. Federal government – financial aid

2. State – license to operate, consumer protection

3. Accreditors – educational quality

Regular peer review

Evaluation, not ranking

Inputs, processes, outcomes

U.S. higher education is overseen by 3 bodies

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What is accreditation?

A voluntary system of self-regulation carried out by peer review in which an institution or program is found to meet or exceed a set of standards.

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Characteristics of American Accreditation• Private, nongovernmental

organizations• Self-regulatory system• Voluntary• Benefits

• De-centralized system• Evolved, not designed• Volunteer, peer evaluators• Relies on candor and integrity

• Federal financial aid• Tuition reimbursement• College guides• Research funding• Public confidence*

*The most important and most fragile benefit.

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Size of the U.S. Accreditation Enterprise

18,000 Accredited Programs

7,000 Accredited Institutions

62 Specialized Accreditors

19 Institutional Accreditors*

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Types of Accreditation in the US

I. Specialized (Professional, Programmatic)

• Specialized institutions (e.g., seminaries, conservatories)

• Programs (e.g., nursing, engineering)

II. Institutional

• Regional – 2-yr, 4-yr, graduate institutions

• National – faith-based institutions

• National – private career institutions

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U.S. Regional U.S. Regional AccreditorsAccreditors

1885 New England 1885 New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC)Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC)

1887 Middles States 1887 Middles States Association of Colleges and Schools, Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher EducationCommission on Higher Education

1895 Southern Association 1895 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, of Colleges and Schools, Commission on CollegesCommission on Colleges

1895 North Central 1895 North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Association of Colleges and Schools, Higher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission

1917 Northwest1917 Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Commission on Colleges and Universities 1924 Western Association 1924 Western Association of Schools and Colleges of Schools and Colleges

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges 1924 Western Association 1924 Western Association of Schools and Colleges of Schools and Colleges

Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and UniversitiesAccrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities

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Specialized and Professional Accreditors

business (2), engineering, acupuncture and oriental medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant, journalism and mass

communication, liberal education, marriage and family therapy, family and consumer sciences, nurse anesthetists, law, funeral service, nurse-midwives, construction, culinary,

dentistry, dietetics, librarians, occupational therapy, optometrists, osteopaths, physical therapy, podiatrists,

psychologists, microbiology, landscape architecture, speech pathologists and audiologists, veterinary medicine, pastoral education, aviation, allied health, healthcare management,

nursing (2), English as a second language, massage therapy, opticians, counseling, interior design, chiropractors, public health, naturopathic medicine, rehabilitation counseling,

social work, radiologic technology, nuclear medicine, medicine, teaching (2), clinical laboratory science, midwifery,

Montessori teaching, architecture, industrial technology, nurse practitioners, art, music, theatre, dance, public

administration, environmental health science, recreation and parks, planning, ministry formation.

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Similarities: Similarities: dual purposes, dual purposes, standards, peer evaluation, site standards, peer evaluation, site visits, Commission decision, visits, Commission decision, recognition by federal recognition by federal governmentgovernment

Differences: Differences: specificity specificity and focus, types of reviews, and focus, types of reviews, length of accreditation length of accreditation period period

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Higher education Higher education institutions institutions

may carry both may carry both institutional and institutional and

specialized accreditations.specialized accreditations.

Or just one.Or just one.

Or neither.Or neither.

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American Regional Accreditation

A word about: American• Certainly not the only way to

be excellent

• Not necessarily the best overall

• Not the best for every circumstance

• What we know how to do.•Reflects American higher education and society

•Not ISO 9000

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The Regions of Regional Accreditation

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Why the regions?Why the regions?

Historical evolution, not Historical evolution, not designdesignReflects regional Reflects regional differences differences Commonalities and Commonalities and cooperationcooperation

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The New England Association accredits

• 244 institutions in the 6 New England states and 9 institutions abroad

• High proportion of independent institutions

• Diverse set of institutions

New England is a geographic region.

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Variety in Institutional Mission A Sample of Public and Independent Institutions

Harvard University Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Dartmouth College Berklee College of Music Hartford Seminary University of New Hampshire New England Institute of Art Community College of Vermont Goodwin College Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Boston Architectural College School for International Training Naval War College Hult International Business School Maine Maritime Academy Rhode Island College Johnson & Wales University American University in Bulgaria University of New England Conway School of Landscape Design Bard College at Simon’s Rock: The Early College

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Some New England Some New England institutions with institutions with

professional missionsprofessional missions U.S. Coast Guard AcademyU.S. Coast Guard Academy U.S. Naval War CollegeU.S. Naval War College Bangor Theological SeminaryBangor Theological Seminary New England ConservatoryNew England Conservatory Massachusetts College of Art and DesignMassachusetts College of Art and Design Hult International Business SchoolHult International Business School Conway School of Landscape DesignConway School of Landscape Design Boston Architectural CollegeBoston Architectural College

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Professional institutionsProfessional institutions

Mission provides strengths to accreditation:Clarity of missionCohesion of community and valuesConstant assessment of student outcomes

Mission also provides special challenges:Competing values, priorities

liberal education - career training academic freedom - military discipline intellectual challenge - spiritual growth

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Accreditation = Standards + Mission

+Standards of higher education community

Mission of the

institution

IMPORTANCE OF EVIDENCE

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Accreditation fulfills 2 functions

1. Quality assurance: the public function

Does the institution deserve the public trust?

2. Quality improvement: the private function

The accreditation process helps the institution improve

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Standards in 11 areas

1. Mission

2. Planning and Evaluation

3. Organization and Governance

4. The Academic Program

5. Faculty

6. Students

7. Library and Other Information Resources

8. Physical and Technological Resources

9. Financial Resources

10.Public Disclosure

11.Integrity

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Distinctive features of American accreditation

1. Non-governmental

2. Candor

3. Volunteers give their time

American universities have a lot of autonomy

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Development of Accreditation in the U.S.Input Process OutcomeAre there enough books in the library?

Are students using the books?

Are students gaining skills of information literacy?

Are the faculty well qualified?

Is the curriculum appropriate?

Is there good instructional practice?

Do students get practice and feedback?

Are students achieving the learning outcomes of the program and institution?

…………………………………….

………………………………………..

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Dimensions of Self-Regulation

Institutions agree to:1.be held accountable to a set

of standards determined by the group

2.abide by the standards “even when no one is looking”

3.be reviewed by peers to demonstrate accountability

Set and meet standards.

Trust but verify.

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Benefits of Accreditation

• Helps maintain institutional autonomy

• Collective professional responsibility

• Members of the academy are experts in academic quality

• Self-regulation is a cost-efficient quality assurance system

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DUAL FUNCTIONS OF ACCREDITATION

ASSURE QUALITY

PROMOTE

IMPROVEMENT