RESOURCE INFO

In the U.S., higher education accreditation is a voluntary, private system based on peer review, in contrast to that of many other countries, which accredit their institutions through ministries of education. Institutional accreditation, or accreditation of the entire institution, is conducted by six regional accrediting organizations in the U.S. These regional associations are organized into commissions that separately accredit schools on the one hand and colleges and universities on the other. The Western Association also has a commission for community and junior colleges; the New England Association also has a commission for technical and career institutions; and the Northwest region has only a single commission for colleges and universities.

These U.S. regional agencies collectively accredit 3060 degree-granting institutions (as of mid-year 2009). The largest contiguous region and the largest number of accredited institutions is served by the North Central Association, which sprawls from West Virginia to Arizona and from North Dakota to Arkansas, and which accredits 1021 of the 3060 institutions. The regional associations, the states and territories they cover, and the number of institutions they accredit are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. U.S. Regional Accrediting Agencies

While the regional associations were founded at different times, beginning with the New England Association in 1885, and while they retain differences in style and emphasis—these six independent organizations display a remarkable consistency in their expectations and requirements regarding the institutions they accredit. Here are a dozen key elements, including the most significant aspects of a higher education institution, that are applied by all six organizations.

1. Evaluate institutions against their missions, which must also be appropriate to higher education.
   
2. Expect institutions to offer comparable provisions and achieve comparable outcomes in all “extension” or off-campus” programs as well as in distance education programs.
   
3. Apply qualitative standards or criteria—rather than quantitative measures.
   
4. Focus on student learning outcomes, and require assessment of these as a basis for improvement.
5. Require governing boards to be autonomous policy making bodies that appoint and dismiss the CEO.
6. Require undergraduate programs to include thoughtfully designed general education components.
7. Look for a qualified faculty (by virtue of academic and professional backgrounds) that exercises governance over academic matters, particularly the curriculum.
8. Expect institutions to engage in strategic planning that includes participation by all of their constituencies.
9. Look for institutions to provide sufficient resources, including library and information resources and information technology.
10. Expect financial stability and good financial management based on financial planning and budgeting.
    11. Expect appropriate numbers of credits to be granted, and accepted in transfer, for work in established disciplines.
11. Require institutions to maintain integrity through consistency, fairness, openness to diversity, and academic freedom.
    

In addition to a common set of criteria for accreditation, the six regional organizations also conduct the accrediting process in largely similar ways. Applying institutions are initially led through a candidacy stage that typically leads to accredited status after a period of review. Evaluation is based on written materials (data and “self-study” reports) submitted by the institution, as well as on site visits by teams of evaluators from peer institutions already holding accreditation. The recommendations of these visiting teams are typically reviewed by senior groups of experienced evaluators and ultimately by the board of the higher education commission for the region. The board makes the final decision.

Contact information for the six regional associations is provided below, along with any distinguishing features and areas of particular emphasis.

New England Association, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
Barbara E. Brittingham, Director
209 Burlington Road
Bedford, MA 01730
781/271-0022
www.neasc.org
The association’s Commission on Technical and Career Institutions accredits vocational-technical programs at the secondary and postsecondary level that do not offer degrees; degree-granting postsecondary vocational-technical programs have been transferred to the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Middle States Association, Commission on Higher Education
Jean Avnet Morse, President
3624 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
267/284-5000
www.msche.org
The association places additional emphasis on the expectation that contractual relationships with affiliated providers will be conducted in a responsible way. The accredited institution is expected to exercise oversight of the contractual partner’s activities to ensure that students and the public are aware of each party’s status and role.

North Central Association, the Higher Learning Commission
Sylvia Manning, President
30 North LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL 60602
312/263-0456
www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org
The association offers institutions two primary ways of maintaining their affiliation with the commission: through the Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality (PEAQ) and the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). The PEAQ approach, which centers on the periodic, typically 10-year, cycle of self-study and Commission visit, is maintained by 82% of institutions; about 18% of institutions use the AQIP approach, which is centered on continuous improvement activities and systems-orientation perspectives.

Southern Association, Commission on Colleges
Belle S. Wheelan, President
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033
404/679-4512
www.sacs.org
The association stands out among its peers by its more specific and quantitative requirements for faculty qualifications. These include a requirement that at least 25 percent of credited courses in undergraduate programs must be taught by faculty with terminal degrees, and that all undergraduate faculty must have completed at least 18 graduate hours of work in the disciplines they teach.

Western Association, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
Ralph Wolff, President and Executive Director
985 Atlantic Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
510/748-9001
www.wascweb.org
The association distinguishes its approach through a separate Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. While the North Central Association oversees the largest contiguous region in the continental U.S., the Western Association’s territory is larger yet, including current and former U.S. possessions and territories in the Pacific Basin. Along with the Northwest Association, the Western Association’s Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities is notable for its special emphasis on systematic program review by institutions to ensure curricular currency and career relevance.

Northwest Association, Commission on Colleges and Universities
Sandra E. Elman, President
8060 165th Avenue NE
Redmond, WA 98052
425/558-4224
www.nwccu.org
The association is alone in maintaining only a higher education commission, whereas the other five associations are all grouped with commissions for schools in their regions. Like the Western Association’s commission for senior institutions, the Northwest commission emphasizes systematic program review. It also includes a standard bearing on its expectations for responsible control of intercollegiate athletics programs, and another on institutional advertising and student recruitment practices.

Prepared by:
Dr. Maris Roze, formerly Director of DeVry University Press and Director of General Education and Libraries and Director of Accreditation and Academic Policy for DeVry University. Started at DeVry as a faculty member in General Education at the Kansas City campus in 1972 after earning a Ph.D. in literature from University of Wisconsin-Madison and teaching two years at the University of Missouri (Kansas City). Taught 9 years at DeVry-Kansas City, along with several years part-time at Kansas University in Lawrence. Published two English textbooks, the second of which is in its fourth edition with Prentice-Hall. Since 1988, have been a Consultant-Evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, twice a member of the NCA’s Accreditation Review Council. Have served on 16 visiting teams, chaired 8 of these; also on 7 Readers’ Panels and have served on the Annual Meeting Planning Committee and the Eligibility Process Committee. Made numerous presentations at NCA conferences, ASEE meetings, and other educational forums.