Kansas Administrative Regulations › Agency 88 - KANSAS BOARD OF REGENTS › Article 26 - COMMUNITY COLLEGES, TECHNICAL COLLEGES AND WASHBURN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY › Section 88-26-2 - Accreditation

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 28, July 11, 2024
(a) Accreditation
			 by the higher learning commission of the north central association of colleges
			 and schools shall be presumptive evidence that the criteria specified in
			 subsection (b) are met.
(b) To be
			 approved by the board for purposes of qualifying to receive state aid, each
			 institution shall be required to meet the following minimum standards:
(1) The curriculum reasonably and adequately
			 ensures achievement of the stated objectives for which the curriculum is
			 offered. The institution shall have policies and procedures in place to
			 evaluate and ensure the quality of its educational programs.
(2) The faculty members hold the credentials
			 appropriate to the academic program offered as follows:
(A) Each faculty member shall possess an
			 academic degree that is relevant to what the individual is teaching and that is
			 at least one level above the level at which the individual is teaching.
			 Alternatively, for each faculty member employed based on equivalent experience,
			 the institution shall establish criteria for minimum equivalent experience that
			 will be used in the appointment process.
(B) Each instructor, including instructors in
			 dual-credit, contractual, and collaborative programs, shall be appropriately
			 credentialed.
(3) The
			 institution makes available to its students support services appropriate for
			 its mission, including advising, academic records, financial aid, and
			 placement, each of which shall meet the following conditions:
(A) The services are readily available and
			 evaluated periodically to determine their overall effectiveness.
(B) The extent of the services provided by
			 the institution and any associated cost to the student are stated in the
			 catalog and other appropriate publications.
(4) The facilities and environs are safe and
			 support learning appropriate for the curriculum.
(5) The institution owns or has secured
			 access to the learning resources and services necessary to support the learning
			 expected of its students, including laboratories, libraries, performance
			 spaces, and clinical practice sites.
(6) The financial resources of the
			 institution are sufficient to reasonably and adequately support its current
			 operations, meet its stated objectives, and continue to do so in the
			 foreseeable future.
(7) The
			 institution engages in systematic and integrated planning. Processes allow the
			 institution to enhance its strengths and minimize its weaknesses in the face of
			 a changing environment.
(8) The
			 institution's governance and administrative structures promote effective
			 leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the institution to
			 fulfill its mission. The governance structure is consistent with the
			 institution's stated objectives and provides for the following:
(A) The governing board is knowledgeable
			 about the institution, provides oversight for the institution's financial and
			 academic policies and practices, and meets its legal and fiduciary
			 responsibilities.
(B) The
			 institution enables the involvement of its administration, faculty, staff, and
			 students in setting academic requirements, policy, and processes through
			 effective structures for contribution and collaborative effort.
(9) The institution operates with
			 integrity in its financial, academic, personnel, and auxiliary functions. The
			 institution demonstrates integrity in the relationship with its internal and
			 external constituents.
(A) The academic
			 freedom of both students and faculty is upheld to the extent permitted by law
			 and governing board policy.
(B) Due
			 process is recognized in the institutional operations.
(C) The institution's practices are
			 consistent with its published procedures.
(D) The institution accurately portrays its
			 practices, services, and programs.
(E) The institution meets all applicable
			 federal and state requirements.