Jamye Swinford

Lesson 14

Why accreditation?

Accreditation is recognition that an institution or program has been evaluated and that it meets a set of standards of quality that are determined by the members of the association or agency granting the accreditation. Accreditation helps assure that an institution or program is meeting minimum standards

Who oversees it?

There are six educational accrediting associations in the United States. These roughly correspond to states located in the following geographic regions of the country. These regions are Northern New England, Middle States, North Central, Southern, Western, and Northwest. Accredited schools in Texas are served by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, (SACS). Accrediting associations are not connected with local or state or federal government, but government agencies rely on the accreditation of an institution when considering student loan monies and other funds that may be available to the institution. Accreditation can aid in the transfer of college credits, but because there are different kinds of accreditation and institutions, the transfer of credit is not guaranteed.

The Commission on Colleges is composed of 77 representatives. The accrediting decisions are made by the representatives chosen from the membership, along with representatives of the public. Volunteers from the accredited institutions and programs carry out the accreditation actions. Institutions and programs are reevaluated periodically. Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools go through reaffirmation every ten years. Staff members of an accrediting association may not make accrediting decisions for their institution.

What type of supporting evidence is needed?

The institution must send a letter to the Executive Director of the Commission on Colleges, indicating interest in accreditation. Criteria for accreditation also include Principles & Philosophy of Accreditation, Institutional Purpose, Institutional Effectiveness, Educational Programs, Educational Support Services and Administrative Processes. The institution must also provide evidence of sufficient levels and standards in course content, faculty interaction with students, student achievement, student contact with faculty, adequate facilities, adequate record keeping, faculty qualifications, and accurate evaluation and assessment.

What differences, if any, exist between accreditation of regular instructional programs and distance learning programs?

There is really no difference in accreditation of a regular instructional program and a distance-learning program. Distance educators must be evaluated to make sure they have the appropriate credentials, training, and preparation to teach via distance learning program. Courses must be comparable to the same or similar courses offered on site.

Oversight committees have been formed to address quality issues of courses offered through the UT Telecampus. Ongoing monitoring of courses and program quality are the responsibility of the institutions and the committee. The UTTC recommends that an Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) and an Executive Committee (EC) be formed. The AAC should consist of no more than two faculty members from each participating institution, appointed by the dean of each respective college. This committee will be responsible for the quality of all deliverables associated with the program. In this manner each institution is able to maintain academic control over the quality of their program. Complete information may be found on the UT Telecampus web site, explaining in full the policy for controlling quality in the development of online courses at the Telecampus.

What role are the new information technologies and educational communications playing in counteracting and changing the strongest criticism of distance education?

A major criticism of distance learning programs is that they are passive and provide only one-way communication. By using interactive telecommunications, such as email, chat rooms, web casts and other synchronous and asynchronous communications that promote interactions between learners and instructors, criticism of distance learning as not having a "human touch" is decreasing. Because of busy schedules and lifestyles, distance learning will appeal to more and more people. It can likely become the main education method of the future.