Techniques: Academia's Ten-Year Itch (1997)

This article discusses the process of college and university accreditation from a personal standpoint. It attempts to reassure those about to embark on this task that accreditation is not to be feared, that accrediting agencies can and do help in the process, and that the honest self-assessment that results from accreditation activities can offer unlimited opportunities for immediate and continuous improvement in all areas of the college. Academia's Ten-Year Itch Every eight years colleges and universities around the nation begin to squirm, uncomfortably surveying the academic and administrative landscapes that define careers, security, and boundaries. In the two years that follow, every aspect of the institution is scrutinized. Blemishes, hidden for years, resurface, causing irritation, discomfort, and sometimes even fear for the very life of the college or university. Ironically, the cause of this disease can also be its cure. Accreditation can be painless and healthy. The Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Colleges (CCNAC) is one of six regional accrediting associations in the United States. It is responsible for accreditation activities in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho. In 1997, CCNAC conducted sixteen M-scale evaluations and received five applications for candidacy from new institutions of higher learning (Personal Communication, M. Kaus, July 8, 1997). The association has identified four major purposes for accreditation: 1. To foster excellence in postsecondary education through the development of criteria and guidelines for assessing educational effectiveness. , 2. To encourage institutional improvement of educational endeavors through continuous self-study and evaluation. 3. To assure the educational community, the general public, and other agencies or organizations that an institution has clearly defined and appropriate educational objectives, has established conditions under which their achievement can reasonably be expected, appears in fact to be accomplishing them substantially, and is so organized, staffed, and supported that it can be expected to continue to do so. 4. To provide counsel and assistance to established and developing institutions (Accreditation Handbook. 1996, p. 1). Of the purposes listed above, number four provides the most reassurance in the inevitable confusion that characterizes the beginning stages of the accreditation process. It is reassuring because it is true. The Commission can be an institution's best ally and mentor during the two years that comprise the full accreditation/self-evaluation process. The Accreditation Experience at Eastern Idaho Technical College As the 1997 accreditation liaison officer (ALO) for Eastern Idaho Technical College (EITC), I can honestly say that without the help, availability, and assistance of the CCNAC, the process of accreditation at our college would have been fraught with worry, anxiety, and uncertainty. Instead, our experience was positive and invigorating, helping us to identify our strengths and challenges and to honestly appraise our mission, goals, and processes. EITC's campus is small by many college standards. We have four buildings; spacious, landscaped grounds; and a host of dedicated faculty and staff. It is a stand-alone technical college and is not connected to either a university or community college, as are most other schools of applied technology. EITC was established in 1969 by the Idaho State Legislature and granted initial accreditation in 1982. In 1995, the CCNAC notified EITC that the college would be evaluated for re-accreditation in spring 1997. Reactions were mixed among administration and faculty. Accreditation, like death or illness, invokes many responses, ranging from fear and anger to denial. In this case, even though two faculty were appointed by the prior director to coordinate the effort, the primary reaction of the College was denial. …