The process of institutional accreditation has come under close scrutiny in recent years. Minimally, groups and individuals have asked for serious examination of the processes and practices of accrediting agencies to confirm their validity. On a larger scale, there has been a national debate questioning the benefits colleges or universities receive when compared to the costs institutions pay to complete accreditation requirements. Institutions go through accreditation to ensure that established standards for quality are met. Institutional accreditation is completed on a regional basis with formal reviews conducted every 10 years.
Schools have the option of pursuing accreditation for specific programs as well.
Accreditation serves colleges and universities in a number of ways, from image enhancement to fulfilling eligibility requirements for students to receive federal financial grants and aid. The traditional method of evaluation involved an institutional self-study to identify strengths and weaknesses. An external team would then arrive on campus to verify that the study accurately reflected the institution. The team would also recommend action to be taken by the accreditation board. The process has been criticized in some circles as limiting.