| Approved by: | The President |
| History: | Issued -- October 6, 2023 |
| Revised -- | |
| Last Reviewed -- | |
| Related Policies: | |
| Additional References: |
Accreditation and Licensure Information; Accreditation Tracking Sheet |
| Responsible Official: |
Provost tel. (202) 319-5244 |
| Contact Person: |
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Administration and Dean of Graduate Studies, tel. (202) 319-5247 |
I. Policy Purpose
This policy addresses the importance of accreditation to ensure that the University meets acceptable levels of quality, and defines the responsibilities of certain academic officials to maintain accreditation.
II. Accreditation
The University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Several academic programs also seek and maintain specialized or programmatic accreditation. In addition to specialized or programmatic accreditation, the University and/or particular academic programs may need to seek permission from state entities to offer academic programming in the various states. In addition to accreditation-specific requirements, requirements can be placed on certain academic programs from time-to-time by governmental agencies. For example, Federal Regulation 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) requires academic programs “designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation, or is advertised as meeting such requirements” make readily available to currently enrolled and prospective students “information regarding whether completion of that program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements in a State for that occupation.”
The academic officials defined below are responsible for making sure the University meets all of the foregoing requirements, and putting in place the necessary internal controls.
III. Definitions
Institutional accreditation normally applies to an entire institution, indicating that each of an institution’s parts is contributing to the achievement of the institution's objectives. The various commissions of the regional accrediting associations, for example, perform institutional accreditation, as do many national accrediting agencies. See, Accreditation in the U.S., U.S. Department of Education.
Specialized or programmatic accreditation normally applies to programs, departments, or schools that are parts of an institution. The accredited unit may be as large as a college or school within a university or as small as a curriculum within a discipline. Most of the specialized or programmatic accrediting agencies review units within an institution of higher education that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting commissions. However, certain accrediting agencies also accredit professional schools and other specialized or vocational institutions of higher education that are free-standing in their operations. Thus, a "specialized" or "programmatic" accrediting agency may also function in the capacity of an "institutional" accrediting agency. In addition, a number of specialized accrediting agencies accredit educational programs within non-educational settings, such as hospitals. Id.
Responsible Academic Official refers to the Dean, Chair, Program Director, or accreditation liaison officer charged by the Provost with the responsibility to maintain the relevant accreditation or other related requirements. Regardless of whether or not the Responsible Academic Official delegates to others certain responsibilities associated with this role, the person charged by the Provost with this role is ultimately and completely accountable for meeting its responsibilities.
IV. Applicability
This policy applies to the University as a whole and to any academic program (1) seeking or maintaining specialized or programmatic accreditation or that must seek authorization from any state or governmental agency in order to offer academic programming and/or (2) is designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation, or is advertised as meeting such requirements.
V. Requirements of Responsible Academic Officials
The responsible academic official must:
- Remain abreast of revisions to accreditation requirements and standards.
- Disclose to the Provost as soon as becoming aware of any changes in personnel that may affect accreditation, and must disclose to the Provost, at least annually, of not having any changes in personnel that may affect accreditation.
- Disclose to the Provost as soon as becoming aware of any missing or deficient approvals from state or governmental agencies or accreditation entities, and must disclose to the Provost, at least annually, of having all required approvals from state or governmental agencies or accreditation entities.
- Disclose to the Provost as soon as becoming aware of, any concerns or issues from state or governmental agencies or accreditation entities, and must disclose to the Provost, at least annually, of not having any known concerns or issues from state or governmental agencies or accreditation entities.
- Disclose to the Provost as soon as becoming aware of any shortcomings, weaknesses, deficiencies, or concerns as defined by the external entity’s standards or any formal recommendations or other sanctions that would pose a threat to continued accreditation, and must disclose to the Provost, at least annually, of not being aware of any shortcomings, weaknesses, deficiencies, or concerns as defined by the external entity’s standards or any formal recommendations or other sanctions that would pose a threat to continued accreditation.*
- Disclose to the Provost, at least annually, of having reviewed the latest accreditation requirements and standards, via the Accreditation Tracking Sheet maintained by the Provost.
The responsible academic official of academic programs designed to meet educational requirements for specific professional license or certification must update, at least annually, its disclosure information in compliance with Federal Regulation 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v).
* The foregoing disclosures that apply as soon as becoming aware of issues should also be made to those in positions above the Responsible Academic Official where applicable, including the Chair of a department or Dean of a School.