Rose Marie Kuceyeski, Ph.D.
Owens Community College
June, 2009

 Share the history of
accreditation in U.S.
 Identify regional and
specialized/programmatic
accrediting agencies
 Explain the established
quality standards and
criteria
 Understand benefits of
accreditation
ACCREDITATIONVILLE…...

According to CHEA, \"Accreditation is a
process of external quality review used by
higher education to scrutinize colleges,
universities and higher education programs
for quality assurance and quality
improvement.”
Council for Higher Education Accreditation
http://www.chea.org/

Regional Accrediting
Organizations
Specialized and
Professional
Accrediting
Organizations

New England
Association of
Schools and
Northwest Commission Colleges
on Colleges &
Universities
North Central Association of
Colleges & Schools - Higher
Learning Commission
Middle
States
Association
of Colleges
and
Schools
Western
Association of Southern Association of Colleges &
Schools & Colleges Schools - Commission on Colleges

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT)
Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) Accreditation
National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC)
http://www.usastudyguide.com/accreditation.htm

Type Enrollment
2-year 6,518,540
4-year 11,240,330
Total 17,758,870
Online 3.9 million
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2008/analysis/sa_table.asp?tableID=1054

PEAQ
Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality
AQIP
Academic Quality Improvement Program

Mission and Integrity

Preparing for the Future

Student Learning and Effective
Teaching

Acquisition, Discovery, and
Application of Knowledge

Engagement and Service

A = Academic
Q = Quality
I = Improvement
P = Program

Leading and
Communicating
Valuing
Helping
People
Students Learn
Understanding
Students’
and other Building Collaborative
Stakeholders’ Relationships
Needs Accomplishing
Other Distinctive
Planning Continuous Objectives
Improvement
Supporting
Institutional Operations
Measuring Effectiveness

 Standards
 Self-study
 Peer Review Site
Visit
 Judgment action
 Celebration
ACCREDITATIONVILLE…...

Institution
Stakeholders Program
Benefits
Faculty and
Student
Staff

“Quality is never an accident; it is always
the result of high intention, sincere effort,
intelligent direction and skillful execution; it
represents the wise choice of many
alternatives.”
William A. Foster