The Higher Learning Commission has five major criteria for accreditation.[4] They are: (1) Mission, (2) Ethics, (3) Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support, (4) Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement, and (5) Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness.
Criticism
In 2009, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education (OIG-ED) criticized the Higher Learning Commission's oversight of for-profit colleges and recommended that the agency consider "limiting, suspending, or terminating the organization's status."[5] Although the OIG reaffirmed their recommendation that the department consider sanctions for the HLC the following year, adding critical reviews of HLC's accreditation of American InterContinental University and The Art Institute of Colorado[6], the Department of Education did not withdraw or limit HLC's accreditation authority. Six years later in 2015, the OIG-ED again criticized HLC this time with an audit on the review process the HLC used while considering colleges' proposals for competency-based credentials.[7]
Academic Quality Improvement Program
The Academic Quality Improvement Program is a set of policies and procedures that institutions can follow in order to maintain accreditation by the HLC.[8]
History
The Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) was developed as the "Academic Quality Improvement Project" beginning in 1999 by Stephen Spangehl at the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (then the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools).[9] The project was funded by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts.[10] The project was inspired by Dr. Spangehl's experience as an examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and sought to apply the principles of Total quality management to higher education.
AQIP originally focused on 9 categories of activity that lent themselves to self-assessment and continuous improvement,[11] improved and refined in 2008.[12] The guidelines identified ten core principles—Focus, Involvement, Leadership, Learning, People, Collaboration, Agility, Foresight, Information, and Integrity—that high performing organizations use to guide their operations, and required institutions to develop their own projects to apply those principles tho their own activity and measure their success.
The program took a collaborative approach with "Strategy Forums" where groups of institutions shared their insights about the "Action Projects" they undertook to address various challenges. The records of Action Projects were stored in an online network that other participants could access and use as guidance for future improvements. At the end of the review cycle institutions were responsible for preparing a "Systems Portfolio" that required them to answer specific question about processes, results, and improvements for each of the 9 AQIP categories.
Modern Form
Known as the "AQIP Pathway", AQIP was one of three options (including Standard and Open Pathways) that institutions accredited by the Higher Learning Commission were able to pursue for reaccreditation.[13] Dr. Linnea Stenson served as director of the program from 2015 to 2021.[14]
In order to elect participation in AQIP,[15] institutions were required to be accredited for ten years and to have demonstrated established foundations in "expected practice" under traditional pathways. Numerous factors might have made an institution ineligible for the optional pathway, including recent change in control, substantive change,[16] sanction, monitoring, or if the accreditor had serious concerns about the institution's conduct or commitment to required accreditation activities.
At the end of academic year 2019–2020, HLC officially phased out AQIP as an accreditation pathway,[17] leaving only Standard and Open Pathways as re-accreditation options.[18]
See also
AdvancED (accrediting agency for primary and secondary schools that evolved from the NCA).
References
^ "Accreditation in the United States: regional and national institutional accrediting agencies". United States Department of Education. from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ "About the Higher Learning Commission". Higher Learning Commission. from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ "Criteria for accreditation" (PDF). Higher Learning Commission (Alpha revision ed.). March 2018. (PDF) from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ Kelderman, Eric (December 17, 2009). "Inspector General warns accreditor over online college, raising fears among for-profit institutions". Government. Chronicle of Higher Education. from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ Kelderman, Eric (May 27, 2010). "Inspector General keeps the pressure on a regional accreditor". Government. Chronicle of Higher Education. from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ Fain, Paul (October 5, 2015). "Caution on competency". Assessment and Accountability. Inside Higher Ed. from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^"AQIP Pathway Overview". Higher Learning Commission. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^"About the Higher Learning Commission". Higher Learning Commission. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^D., Spangehl, Stephen (April 1, 2012). "AQIP and Accreditation: Improving Quality and Performance". 40 (3). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^"Principles and Categories for Improving Academic Quality" (PDF). Higher Learning Commission. 2005.
^"AQIP Categories and Items - 2008 Revision" (PDF). Higher Learning Commission. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^"Choosing a Pathway | Accreditation". www.hlcommission.org. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
External links
Official website
January 30, 2023
higher, learning, commission, institutional, accreditor, united, states, historically, accredited, post, secondary, education, institutions, central, united, states, arizona, arkansas, colorado, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, michigan, minnesota, missouri, n. The Higher Learning Commission HLC is an institutional accreditor in the United States It has historically accredited post secondary education institutions in the central United States Arizona Arkansas Colorado Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nebraska New Mexico North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma South Dakota West Virginia Wisconsin and Wyoming The headquarters of the organization is in Chicago Illinois Higher Learning CommissionHLC operating areaAbbreviationHLCPredecessorNorth Central Association of Colleges and SchoolsFormation1895PurposeHigher education accreditationHeadquartersChicago IllinoisRegion servedArizona Arkansas Colorado Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nebraska New Mexico North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma South Dakota West Virginia Wisconsin WyomingMain organBoard of DirectorsAffiliationsCHEAWebsitehlcommission orgThe United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognize the commission as an institutional accreditor it was previously a regional accreditor 1 2 HLC grew out of the higher education division of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools NCA which dissolved in 2014 3 Contents 1 Criteria for accreditation 2 Criticism 3 Academic Quality Improvement Program 3 1 History 3 2 Modern Form 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksCriteria for accreditation EditThe Higher Learning Commission has five major criteria for accreditation 4 They are 1 Mission 2 Ethics 3 Teaching and Learning Quality Resources and Support 4 Teaching and Learning Evaluation and Improvement and 5 Resources Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Criticism EditIn 2009 the Office of the Inspector General of the U S Department of Education OIG ED criticized the Higher Learning Commission s oversight of for profit colleges and recommended that the agency consider limiting suspending or terminating the organization s status 5 Although the OIG reaffirmed their recommendation that the department consider sanctions for the HLC the following year adding critical reviews of HLC s accreditation of American InterContinental University and The Art Institute of Colorado 6 the Department of Education did not withdraw or limit HLC s accreditation authority Six years later in 2015 the OIG ED again criticized HLC this time with an audit on the review process the HLC used while considering colleges proposals for competency based credentials 7 Academic Quality Improvement Program EditThe Academic Quality Improvement Program is a set of policies and procedures that institutions can follow in order to maintain accreditation by the HLC 8 History Edit The Academic Quality Improvement Program AQIP was developed as the Academic Quality Improvement Project beginning in 1999 by Stephen Spangehl at the Higher Learning Commission HLC then the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools 9 The project was funded by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts 10 The project was inspired by Dr Spangehl s experience as an examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and sought to apply the principles of Total quality management to higher education AQIP originally focused on 9 categories of activity that lent themselves to self assessment and continuous improvement 11 improved and refined in 2008 12 The guidelines identified ten core principles Focus Involvement Leadership Learning People Collaboration Agility Foresight Information and Integrity that high performing organizations use to guide their operations and required institutions to develop their own projects to apply those principles tho their own activity and measure their success The program took a collaborative approach with Strategy Forums where groups of institutions shared their insights about the Action Projects they undertook to address various challenges The records of Action Projects were stored in an online network that other participants could access and use as guidance for future improvements At the end of the review cycle institutions were responsible for preparing a Systems Portfolio that required them to answer specific question about processes results and improvements for each of the 9 AQIP categories Modern Form Edit Known as the AQIP Pathway AQIP was one of three options including Standard and Open Pathways that institutions accredited by the Higher Learning Commission were able to pursue for reaccreditation 13 Dr Linnea Stenson served as director of the program from 2015 to 2021 14 In order to elect participation in AQIP 15 institutions were required to be accredited for ten years and to have demonstrated established foundations in expected practice under traditional pathways Numerous factors might have made an institution ineligible for the optional pathway including recent change in control substantive change 16 sanction monitoring or if the accreditor had serious concerns about the institution s conduct or commitment to required accreditation activities At the end of academic year 2019 2020 HLC officially phased out AQIP as an accreditation pathway 17 leaving only Standard and Open Pathways as re accreditation options 18 See also EditAdvancED accrediting agency for primary and secondary schools that evolved from the NCA References Edit Accreditation in the United States regional and national institutional accrediting agencies United States Department of Education Archived from the original on February 4 2019 Retrieved February 4 2019 Regional accrediting organizations 2009 2010 Council for Higher Education Accreditation Archived from the original on August 31 2009 Retrieved November 1 2009 About the Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission Archived from the original on February 4 2019 Retrieved February 4 2019 Criteria for accreditation PDF Higher Learning Commission Alpha revision ed March 2018 Archived PDF from the original on February 4 2019 Retrieved February 4 2019 Kelderman Eric December 17 2009 Inspector General warns accreditor over online college raising fears among for profit institutions Government Chronicle of Higher Education Archived from the original on October 8 2018 Retrieved February 4 2019 Kelderman Eric May 27 2010 Inspector General keeps the pressure on a regional accreditor Government Chronicle of Higher Education Archived from the original on October 8 2018 Retrieved February 4 2019 Fain Paul October 5 2015 Caution on competency Assessment and Accountability Inside Higher Ed Archived from the original on February 4 2019 Retrieved February 4 2019 AQIP Pathway Overview Higher Learning Commission Retrieved September 26 2017 About the Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission Retrieved September 26 2017 D Spangehl Stephen April 1 2012 AQIP and Accreditation Improving Quality and Performance 40 3 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Principles and Categories for Improving Academic Quality PDF Higher Learning Commission 2005 AQIP Categories and Items 2008 Revision PDF Higher Learning Commission Retrieved September 26 2017 AQIP Pathway Pathways Accreditation Processes Staff Liaisons About HLC www hlcommission org Choosing a Pathway Accreditation www hlcommission org Institutional Change Monitoring Accreditation Processes https download hlcommission org HLCResourceGuide INF pdf bare URL PDF Choosing a Pathway Accreditation www hlcommission org Retrieved June 4 2021 External links EditOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Higher Learning Commission amp oldid 1131803266, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
