History & Role of Accreditation
The first accrediting organization was created in 1880, with a primary focus on educational standards and admissions for institutions within the region (“Accrediting council for”). At first, accreditation standards were developed on a regional basis, “but gradually national accreditation standards were developed to provide minimum quality standards throughout the United States” (“Accrediting council for”). Thus, in 1912, 23 private career schools formed the National Association of Accredited Commercial Schools, which became the first national accrediting agency (“Accrediting council for”). At the same time national standards where evolving, professional schools begin creating standards for their members to follow.
Currently, there are 52 national accrediting organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education (“US dept of”). Additionally, there are six regional accrediting bodies used by colleges in the United States. Accreditation membership grew over time, but saw a major increase because of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. Although the Act had been in existence for almost a decade, it was reintroduced for service members returning from the Korean War in 1952. During this time, fraudulent colleges were being created and were taking advantage of service members in order to obtain their GI Bill funds. Therefore, Congress amended the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act to read, “in order for servicemen to receive proceeds from the GI Bill they must attend an accredited institution” (Wellman, 1998, p. 4). “Accreditation also is used for state oversight purposes, both as a substitute for state review of accredited institutions’ quality (in some states) and in relation to professional school licensing examinations” (Wellman, p. 3). Additionally, institutions examine accrediting bodies when deciding whether or not to allow transfer credits for students (Wellman, p.3).
As time has passed, accrediting organizations have expanded their requirements, and increased their stipulations as to what their members must do. From monitoring student growth and retention rates while the student is enrolled, to tracking a student’s progress long after they have graduated. Unfortunately, these items are a small component compared to the overall process of maintaining accreditation.
Types of Accreditation
There are two types of accreditation themes – Institutional and Program/Professional, also known as Specialized accreditation (Koenig, Lofstad, & Staab, 2004, p. 3). Institutional accreditation is the process of accrediting an institution as a whole. The review process focuses on evaluating the Institution as an entity (Koenig, Lofstad, & Staab, p. 3). Program or Professional accreditation is the act of accrediting a specific program of study within an institution (Koenig, Lofstad, & Staab, p.4). Therefore, the accreditation review process focuses on just one department, program or curriculum under the institution’s umbrella.
Policy Factors of Accreditation
According to Koenig, Lofstad, & Staab (2004), McIntyre (2005), and Wellman (1998), the accreditation status of an educational institution plays an important role in the following scenarios:
(1) Assessment of a student’s educational background for:
1. Admission to postsecondary educational institutions.
2. Admission to graduate school.
3. Transfer of credit from one institution to another.
4. Academic eligibility for scholarships, athletics, research grants, and internships.
(2) Student eligibility for financial assistance from government programs.
(3) Institutional eligibility for financial assistance from the US federal
government and State governments.
(4) A student’s eligibility for licensure or certification in a profession that
requires completion from an accredited program, or a program at an
accredited institution.
(5) An individual’s eligibility for employment in a position that requires
completion of an accredited program or a program at an accredited institution.
Albeit, accreditation was created over a century ago, the purpose is still necessary. However, when institutions have to follow multiple accreditation agency standards, the cost to maintain those standards becomes expensive. For example, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Allied Health Sciences has to manage accreditation for over 24 accrediting bodies. With annual dues for accreditation being greater than $10,000 for a few, this price adds up. Is it necessary to have that many regulatory agencies? I would say it is not and these actions increase the cost disease that students and institutions face. If the government or agencies themselves could come up with a better and easier standard to follow, then the cost of an education might become more manageable to obtain. Until such actions are tackled, the same issue will continue.
Accrediting council for independent colleges and schools. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.acics.org/
Koenig, A., Lofstad, R., & Staab, E. (2004, September). Higher education accreditation in the United States: what international education professionals need to know. Paper presented at the Seventh EAIE Conference, Torino, Italy. Abstract retrieved from http://www.eaie.org/pdf/torino/205.pdf
McIntyre, J. (2005). Business management education in transition and developing countries. Armonk, NY: ME Sharpe.
Wellman, J. (1998). Recognition of accreditation organizations: a comparison of policy & practice of voluntary accreditation and the United States department of education [White paper]. Retrieved from http://www.chea.org/pdf/RecognitionWellman_Jan1998.pdf
U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/
I learned in my earlier days as an admissions counselor how important accreditation was - especially when it came to national versus regional. With the University of Memphis, it was always easier to accept transfer credit from a regionally accredited institution. Accreditation on that level always meant credibility for our office - meaning that credit was universally accepted from school's with regional accreditation. And it is true: the accreditation process is costly, but making it unified would be interesting with the various colleges and universities that would be involved.
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