Acquainting the reviewer to accreditation, the impact of accreditation decisions, and site-visit activities.

Questions to ask about your accreditation agency:

• When was your agency established?
• How many programs does it accredit?
• Is graduation from an accredited program or institution tied to any type of licensure?
• What is the maximum length of an accreditation term?

Definition and History:

Accreditation is the public recognition awarded to universities and academic programs that meet established criteria and educational standards. Accreditation decisions are based on evaluations whose purpose is to provide a professional judgment about the quality of a university or academic program and to promote institutional improvement. In other words, accreditation's main goals are to assure and enhance quality.

Accreditation in the United States has a long history that has developed into a voluntary system which is unique in the world. The first regional accreditation agency started in New England in 1885; the first specialized accreditation agency was founded in 1907 by the American Medical Association; and the first accreditation standards were developed in 1910 by the North Central regional accreditation agency.

Following World War II, the government passed the Government Issue or "GI" Bill which provided financial aid for veterans to go to school. Soldiers from poorer families who were previously unable, now had access to higher education. The presence of funds for learning caused tremendous growth in the number of new schools, but along with the many legitimate schools came some with questionable motives.

The government needed to assure that schools were providing high-quality education; however, the large number of them made it impossible for government staff to do all the necessary evaluations. As a result, the government turned to the existing, private accreditation system and its models for assuring quality in higher education. The U.S. Department of Education lists the following benefits of accreditation:

1. Verifying that an institution or program meets established standards;
2. Assisting prospective students in identifying acceptable institutions;
3. Assisting institutions in determining the acceptability of transfer credits;
4. Helping to identify institutions and programs for the investment of public and private funds;
5. Protecting an institution against harmful internal and external pressure;
6. Creating goals for self-improvement of weaker programs and stimulating a general raising of standards among educational institutions;
7. Involving the faculty and staff comprehensively in institutional evaluation and planning;
8. Establishing criteria for professional certification and licensure and for upgrading courses offering such preparation; and
9. Providing one of several considerations used as a basis for determining eligibility for Federal assistance.

   (List from http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg2.html, October 7, 2005.)

Today, the Department of Education reviews all accreditation agencies every 5 years to make sure that they meet core requirements, but in all other respects, every U.S. accreditation agency is unique and free from government control in its day-to-day operations.