B-2 Periodic Review of Member Institutions, Accreditation Handbook, Oregon State University

POLICIES RELATING TO INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION

B-2 Periodic Review of Member Institutions

A responsible accrediting program necessarily includes periodic review of accredited institutions, both for their benefit and to ensure fulfillment of the accrediting Commission's accountability function. Such review should be geared primarily to institutional circumstances and the sophistication of continuing self-study on a given campus. The normal intervals for review should be five years following initial accreditation and ten years thereafter. Every accredited and candidate institution is required to submit to its accrediting commission an annual data summary. In the fifth year of the ten year cycle, institutions are required to submit an interim report reflecting their responses to the recommendations of the previous evaluation committee, the rationale for their responses, a description of the major changes effected since the last evaluation, and a summary of significant changes contemplated for the future. When an institution undergoes substantive change as defined by Policy A-2 - Substantive Change, or if its educational effectiveness is questioned at any time, the related accrediting commission will be expected to take appropriate action. Each commission reserves the right to review an institution at any time that circumstances require.

Financial Audits - Title IV of the 1992 Higher Education Amendments

In instances when the Secretary of Education has notified the Commission on Colleges of an institution's noncompliance with regard to its responsibilities under Title IV of the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, including any results of financial or compliance audits, program reviews, and any other information, the Commission, in addition to its already existing policies and procedures, shall take the following actions: (1) the Commission shall notify the institution requesting that it develop a special interim report responding to the issues identified by the Secretary of Education to be submitted to the Commission office within 45 days; (2) Commission staff will determine whether the institution's quality of education or ability to meet the Commission's standards is affected by the institution's failure to comply with the Title IV program responsibilities under Title IV of the Act; (3) after thorough review of the institution's report, if the Commission staff determines that the institution's quality of education is affected or the institution is not in compliance with its accreditation standards, a focused evaluation committee will conduct an on-site evaluation to the institution to evaluate in what ways educational quality is being affected and the scope of noncompliance with the Commission's accreditation standards and policies; (4) following the on-site evaluation visit, a report will be written by the committee chair and submitted to the Commission on Colleges for its review and action at its next scheduled meeting; (5) the institution will be notified of the Commission's action(s) with respect to the institution's report and evaluation visit in a timely manner; and (6) the Commission will notify the Secretary of Education within 45 days of its findings and subsequent action(s) with regard to the institution's compliance with its accreditation standards and policies and how educational quality is being affected at the institution.

It is the intent of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges to extend and intensify the value of self-study as an instrument for promoting institutional improvement and educational effectiveness. Ideally, institutional self-study should be an integral and ongoing activity on every campus, only indirectly related to calendars and accreditation but strongly emphasizing the natural relationship between self-study and educational planning.

The more self-study and evaluation are seen as directly related to institutional viability and quality, the more productive the self-study and evaluation process will be. At its best, the periodic review of accredited institutions provides a creative means of assisting institutions in assessing their educational mission and goals and their success in fulfilling them.

In order to facilitate these principles, the regional accrediting commissions will consult with accredited institutions with respect to the kind of institutional reports which may be submitted in connection with the evaluation process, as well as to determine the nature and timing of evaluation visits.

Adopted 1973/Revised 1997