NEASC Standards of Accreditation

What is the New England Association of Schools and Colleges?

Founded in 1885, the New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) (http://www.neasc.org), is the oldest regional accrediting association. Headquartered in Bedford, MA, NEASC serves some 1,800 public and independent schools, colleges and universities in the six states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, and 86 American/International schools. Accreditation relies on a voluntary, peer review process, engaging some 3,400 educators in the region on hundreds of reviews in any year. Each relies on a 12- to 18-month self-study process undertaken by schools and colleges in regular review cycles. The goals are school effectiveness, improvement and public assurance.

What is the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE)?

The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE; http://www.neasc.org/cihe/cihe.htm) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, is the regional accreditation agency for over 200 colleges and universities in the six New England states.

The Commission consists of fifteen faculty and administrators from accredited institutions and three public members. It has a staff of seven, led by Dr. Charles M. Cook.

Accreditation is voluntary, non-governmental, and self-regulatory.

What is the self-study process?

A self-study is a major enterprise. A well-planned evaluation and its normal follow-up processes usually spread over a two- to four-year period.

What is the format of the self-study?

The institutional self-study – description, appraisal, projection in terms of the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation (http://www.neasc.org/cihe/cihe.htm) – is presented in a narrative of approximately 100 pages. The Institutional Data Profiles required are: Program Profile, Faculty Profile, Student Profile, and Financial Profile.