The impact of the changing climate for accreditation on the individual college or university: Five trends and their implications

Abstract

In the current environment, presidents and chancellors can expect to have their institutions under nearly continuous scrutiny from regional accrediting bodies.The Impact of the Changing Climate for Accreditation on the Individual College or University: Five Trends and Their Implications John W. BardoIt was only a few years ago that regional accreditation was an episode in a higher education institution' s life. Every ten years, the institution would gear up for a self-study; the accrediting team would visit; the institution would provide final responses; accreditation would be voted; and the institution would "return to normal." Those days are past. Now, presidents and chancellors can expect to have their institutions under nearly continuous scrutiny by regional accrediting bodies. The number of reports, the expected details of outcomes measures, and the level of ongoing interaction between the institution and the regional association will continue to increase. In fact, presidents and chancellors need to plan for the organization, costs, and processes that will be a part of each year' s operations as the level of accountability increases.This chapter focuses on the impact of the critical changes in accreditation processes and expectations on the role of senior administration and faculty members at the campus level. Of particular importance are the concepts of (1) the changing accreditation climate, (2) the need to focus on assessment across all areas of the institution, (3) organizational approaches to continuing accreditation, and (4) developing a culture of accreditation across the campus that traditionally was found only in professional colleges and schools. 47 4

Exploring the Role of Accreditation in Supporting Transfer and Student Mobility

“…As Crow (2009) pointed out, this issue goes to the heart of accreditation, and because of growing student mobility accreditors are starting to address this issue more directly. For instance accreditation policy research focuses on how the self-study process, when done correctly, can have significant impact on institutional improvement (Aleste, 2004;Bardo, 2009;Gaston, 2013;Head & Johnson, 2011; Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 2011). The institutional approach to accrediting standards directly facilitates the drive for institutional improvement; in some cases moving from the quantitative approach to accreditation through the measurement of library volumes, graduation rates, and self-assessment, to a qualitative approach that is more about the process, systems, and outcomes through which institutions assess themselves (Aleste, 2004).…”

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