Discussion : Policy toward Accreditation and Quality Assurance

In the United States, accreditors (external quality assurance agencies or EQAAs) – just like the institutions and programs they accredit – are subject to a recognition process by the U.S. Department of Education (the Department), which is somewhat similar to the accreditation process itself. This process is important to the EQAAs, since institutional eligibility for participation in federal financial aid programs for a given higher education institution (HEI) is conditional on its accreditation by a Department-recognized institutional accreditor.

In 2008, U.S. Congress established the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) through the Higher Education Opportunity Act. This advisory committee “provides recommendations regarding accrediting agencies that monitor the academic quality of postsecondary institutions and educational programs for federal purposes” (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). NACIQI was convened in 2010 and made several contributions to the U.S. higher education policy, including 2012 and 2015 reports and multiple recommendations on EQAA recognition. In 2016, NACIQI also recommended withdrawal of recognition from the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), which ultimately led to this relatively large accreditor’s loss of recognition by the Department.

Original Post

Aided by NACIQI 2012 and 2015 reports and research on this topic:

Please identify and explain one of the major policy concerns of the Committee members.

How does this policy concern affect the higher education system in the United States, including both EQAAs and HEIs?

How does it impact your own institution?

And, how can institutions demonstrate accountability on this concern to the external and internal stakeholders?