Why College Accreditation Matters

HEADLINES

Why College Accreditation Matters (U.S. News & World Report, July 20, 2023) Before applying to an institution check its accreditation, which is crucial for federal aid and educational quality. “If an institution is receiving federal funds, absolutely the accrediting organization needs to be recognized by the federal government but also by the Council for Higher Education, because our foci are different,” CHEA president Cynthia Jackson Hammond says. “We want to make sure that when a student graduates from an institution in a particular field, he or she is able to succeed.

US Accreditors Plead for Political Relief as Attacks Mount (Times Higher Education, August 1, 2023) US accreditors plead for political relief as attacks on accreditation mount.” It's a significant challenge,” said Jan Friis, senior vice-president for government affairs at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, “And each accreditor has to face that in each state in which they operate based on the legislature.”

Accreditation Can Support Diversity Efforts in the Wake of the Supreme Court Decision (New America, July 25, 2023) (Opinion) Accreditation standards addressing diversity and equity are one way to support diversity on college campuses in the wake of the Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action. Accreditation is focused on ensuring students receive a quality education by setting standards that institutions must meet. Accreditation standards are also about ensuring that all students receive the same quality of education and have the opportunity and support to succeed.

The Republican War on Colleges (Axios, July 23, 2023) Much of the noise being made by Republicans is political at heart. But right-leaning think tanks — and even some policymakers — are focused on making colleges more accountable for students' economic outcomes. Accreditation reforms could be where these two goals intersect.