Preparation by the Institution
As part of the reaffirmation
process, the institution will provide two separate documents.
1. Compliance
Certification
The Compliance Certification is a document completed
by the institution that demonstrates its judgment of the extent of its
compliance with each of the Core Requirements, Comprehensive Standards, and
Federal Requirements. Signatures by the institution’s chief executive officer
and accreditation liaison are required to certify compliance. By signing the
document, the individuals certify that the process of institutional
selfassessment has been thorough, honest, and forthright, and that the
information contained in the document is truthful, accurate, and complete.
2. Quality Enhancement Plan
The
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), submitted four to six weeks in advance of the
on-site review by the Commission, is a document developed by the institution
that (1) includes a process identifying key issues emerging from institutional
assessment, (2) focuses on learning outcomes and/or the environment supporting
student learning and accomplishing the mission of the institution, (3)
demonstrates institutional capability for the initiation, implementation, and
completion
of the QEP, (4) includes broad-based involvement of institutional
constituencies in the development and proposed implementation of the QEP, and
(5) identifies goals and a plan to assess their achievement. The QEP should be
focused and succinct.
Review by the Commission on Colleges
1. The Off-Site
Review
The Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee, composed of a chair and
normally eight to ten evaluators, meets in Atlanta, Georgia, and reviews
Compliance Certifications of a group of institutions to determine whether each
institution is in compliance with all Core Requirements (except Core Requirement
2.12), Comprehensive Standards (except Comprehensive Standard 3.3.2), and
Federal Requirements. The group of institutions evaluated, called a cluster,
will consist of no more than three institutions similar in governance and
degrees offered. At the conclusion of the review, the Off-Site Reaffirmation
Committee will prepare a separate report for each institution, recording and
explaining its decisions regarding compliance. The report is forwarded to the
respective institution’s On-Site Reaffirmation Committee which makes its final
determination on compliance.
2. The On-Site
Review
Following review by the Off-Site Committee, an On-Site
Reaffirmation Committee will conduct a focused evaluation at the
campus to
finalize issues of compliance with the Core Requirements, Comprehensive
Standards, and Federal Requirements; provide consultation regarding the issues
addressed in the QEP; and evaluate the acceptability of the QEP. At the
conclusion of its visit, the On-Site Committee will finalize the Report of the
Reaffirmation Committee,a written report of its findings noting areas of
non-compliance, including the acceptability of the QEP. The Report of the
Reaffirmation Committee, along with the institution’s response to areas of
non-compliance, will be forwarded to the Commission’s Board of Trustees
for
review and action on reaffirmation.
3. Review by the
Commission’s Board of Trustees
The Committees on Compliance and
Reports (C & R), standing committees of the Board, review reports prepared
by evaluation committees and the institutional responses to those reports. A C
& R Committee’s recommendation regarding an institution’s reaffirmation of
accreditation is forwarded to the Executive Council for review. The Executive
Council recommends action to the full Board of Trustees which makes the final
decision on reaffirmation and any monitoring activities that it requires of an
institution. The full Board convenes twice a year.
