Peers assess the quality of an institution or academic program and assist the faculty and staff in improvement. Grounded by a set of expectations about quality and integrity, the commission reviews the evidence and recommendation, makes a judgment, and communicates the decision to the institution and other constituencies if appropriate.
Accreditation is an integral part of our system of higher education.
Our system consists of both public and private institutions with a wide range of types of missions, from national research universities and regional comprehensive institutions to liberal arts colleges and very small faith-related colleges to community colleges and vocational institutions. Because it developed from this diverse set of institutions, accreditation is a flexible and adaptive process.