1. Judith Eaton, President
U.S. HIGHER EDUCATION AND ACCREDITATION
Judith Eaton, President

2. US HIGHER EDUCATION DECENTRALIZED A RANGE OF TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS
20 MILLION STUDENTS*
4.9 MILLION DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES AWARDED*
4 MILLION EMPLOYEES/1.54 MILLION FACULTY, FULL OR PART-TIME (2015)**
* data from National Center for Education Statistics, “IPEDS 2015” AND INCLUDES ONLY INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE IN FEDERAL DATABASE
**The Condition of Education 2018

3. US HIGHER EDUCATION - 2 FINANCING
TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $563 BILLION IN *
REVENUE
$170 BILLION IN ANNUAL FEDERAL FUNDS
$43.6 BILLION IN PRIVATE GIVING IN 2017**
MORE THAN $80 BILLION IN STATE SUPPORT in 2017***
STUDENT TUITION
GOVERNANCE
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
INDEPENDENT GOVERNING BOARDS – ELECTED OR APPOINTED
SHARED GOVERNANCE
ANSWERABLE TO FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT FOR USE OF PUBLIC FUN
*USDE Fast Facts
**Seltzer, Inside Higher Ed, February 6, 2018
***Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, August 23, 2017

4. ACCREDITATION – DEFINITION
MEANS OF ASSURING AND IMPROVING ACADEMIC QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

5. ACCREDITATION – CHARACTERISTICS*
85 INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAMMATIC ACCREDITING ORGANIZATIONS
DECENTRALIZED
ALL TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS
8,500 ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS*
25,000 ACCREDITED PROGRAMS*
MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD
INITIALLY INDEPENDENT: CREATED, FUNDED, MANAGED, LED BY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
* CHEA INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS DATABASE, SEPTEMBER , 2018

6. ACCREDITATION: ROLES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
GATEKEEPING: PUBLIC SECTOR RELIANCE – THE $170 BILLION
PRIVATE SECTOR RELIANCE: CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, US NEW AND WORLD REPORT – THE $43.6 BILLION
STUDENT MOBILITY: TRANSFER OF CREDIT, INTERNATIONAL

7. ACCREDITATION: VALUES
PEER REVIEW: CENTRAL TO JUDGING ACADEMIC QUALITY
INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY: KEY TO EFFECTIVE ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP
MISSION-DRIVEN SYSTEM: NECESSARY FOR DIVERSITY, ACCESS
ACADEMIC FREEDOM: VITAL TO HIGH-QUALITY SCHOLARSHIP

8. ACCREDITATION: OPERATION*
ORGANIZATIONS HOUSE AND CARRY OUT REVIEW PROCESS
TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $154 MILLION
FUNDING: ANNUAL FEES AND REVIEW FEES
FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME STAFF: 789
VOLUNTEERS: 16,138
*2015 CHEA ALMANAC OF EXTERNAL QUALITY REVIEW

9. ACCREDITATION: REVIEW PROCESS
STANDARDS-BASED, EVIDENCE-BASED TRUST-BASED
SELF-REVIEW AND PEER REVIEW
ACCREDITATION JUDGMENT
PERIODIC
COLLEGIAL, FORMATIVE, ASPIRATIONAL

10. U.S. ACCREDITATION: INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITY*
65 U.S. ACCREDITORS OPERATING INTERNATIONALLY
IN 210 COUNTRIES AND AREAS
1,511 OPERATIONS
MOST ACTIVE: ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS
FOR CHEA
CIQG ACTIVITIES
*2015 CHEA ALMANAC

11. MAJOR CHALLENGES – HIGHER EDUCATION
BUSINESS MODEL – ENOUGH MONEY
CHANGES IN TRADITIONAL STRUCTURE – OPTIONS OTHER THAN DEGREES AND INSTITUTIONS
DIMINISHED PUBLIC SUPPORT – THE VALUE OF THE DEGREE
SOCIAL JUSTICE, EQUITY - ACTIVISM
MAJOR CHALLENGES – ACCREDITATION
CALLS FOR CHANGE AND INNOVATION
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN RIGOR AND RELIABILITY
EMERGING QUALITY REVIEW ALTERNATIVES
OUTCOMES, ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY

12. THANK YOU