Accreditation FAQ
- What is accreditation?
- Who accredits higher education institutions and programs?
- Who accredits the University of Minnesota?
- What is the accreditation status of University campuses?
- How does the traditional accreditation process work?
- What is the compliance rate of NCA-accredited institutions under the traditional accreditation process?
- What
compliance issues did NCA raise during the most recent re-accreditation
process for the University of Minnesota Crookston campus?
- What are the current policy and political issues related to accreditation?
- Where can I get more information on accreditation?
1. What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a process of external review used to scrutinize
colleges, universities, and educational programs for quality assurance
and compliance with external standards.
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2. Who accredits higher education institutions and programs?
In the U.S., higher education accreditation is carried out primarily by:
- regional accrediting organizations that review entire
institutions. This review includes an evaluation of the institution's
mission and compliance with standards and criteria related to
governance and administration, financial stability, admissions and
student personnel services, institutional resources, student academic
achievement, institutional effectiveness, and relationships with
constituencies inside and outside the institution.
- specialized accrediting organizations, often associated
with national professional associations, which evaluate specific units,
schools, or programs within an institution, such as those for
engineering, medicine, and law, or with specific disciplines such as
business, teacher education, music, or psychology.
Return to top of page 3. Who accredits the University of Minnesota?
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities and the Crookston, Duluth,
and Morris coordinate campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning
Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
(NCA). Founded in 1895, NCA is one of six regional accrediting
associations in the U.S. Through its commissions, NCA accredits
educational institutions in the 19-state North Central region:
Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The Higher
Learning Commission of NCA is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of
Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
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4. What is the accreditation status of University campuses?
All campuses are fully accredited. The next NCA comprehensive
accreditation review of the Twin Cities campus is scheduled for
2005-06; Crookston in 2005-06; Duluth in 2006-07; and Morris in
2009-2010.
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5. How does the traditional accreditation process work?
Traditional accreditation review is ongoing. Its four key features are:
- Self-study: Institutions and programs prepare written
documentation of compliance based on the accrediting organization's
criteria and standards.
- Peer review and site visit: Accreditation review is
conducted primarily by a visiting team of faculty and administrators
from other higher education institutions.
- Action (judgment) of accrediting organization: A commission
of the accrediting organization makes decisions about the accredited
status of institutions and programs.
- Monitoring and oversight: Institutions and programs are
reviewed over time in cycles from every few years to 10 years.
Normally, these reviews include a site visit.
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6. What is the compliance rate of NCA-accredited institutions under the traditional accreditation process?
The NCA's Higher Learning Commission conducts more than 100
comprehensive evaluation visits and about 70 focused visits (return
visits to assure that concerns have been addressed) annually. In
about 70 percent of the comprehensive visits and 45 percent of the
focused visits, the visiting teams recommend that institutions file
additional progress reports, monitoring reports, or contingency reports
and/or submit to an additional focused visit.
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7. What compliance issues did NCA raise
during the most recent re-accreditation process for the University of
Minnesota Crookston campus?
Coming soon
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8. What are the current policy and political issues related to accreditation?
Higher education accrediting agencies have come under increasing
public criticism and pressure from federal and state legislators and
agencies, higher education institutions and associations, various
special interest groups, and consumers. While many colleges and
universities assert that accreditors have become too intrusive and
prescriptive in their processes, some policymakers are calling for
accreditors and institutions to be "more accountable." Concerns
about steady, often double-digit price increases have led many to
insist that accrediting agencies and institutions demonstrate their
value to consumers. The upcoming reauthorization of the federal
Higher Education Act in 2004-05 will bring even more public attention
to the accreditation process.
These pressures have led the NCA over the past several years to
overhaul its governance and operational systems and adopt new
statements of mission, vision, and priorities.
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9. Where can I get more information on accreditation?
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