In this article, the author revisits and expands on the insights shared during a panel discussion at the 2022 Assessment Institute, with a focus on exploring and perhaps challenging thinking around what assessment is, how this work is viewed by many stakeholders critical to the assessment process, and the "feast or famine" conditions…

Mental health is an emerging area of interest in sport, but there is a paucity of educational initiatives in sport management curricula to train the next generation of sport managers to address the mental health needs of athletes, a type of knowledge that the mental health literature operationalizes as mental health literacy. One goal of…

In this paper, I introduce a new term to the online learning lexicon, "mesocredentials," an emerging and transformative approach to integrating massive open online courses (MOOCs) within the higher education system. A mesocredential connects MOOC achievement with academic credit applied to a traditional academic degree. I distinguish…

This report presents a summary of the vast array of activities that comprised the 2023-2024 accreditation year for all Commission approved educator preparation programs. Currently, there are 252 Commission approved program sponsors offering 933 different and active educator preparation programs and many of those are offered through various…

In this article, the authors report on the opportunity to share information with fellow members from institutional accrediting agencies at the "Initi8: Improving Ethical Reasoning at Scale" workshop facilitated by James Madison University, in June 2023. Helpful was the various viewpoints, perspectives, and musings of individuals engaged…

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a crucial role in human capacity building and knowledge creation regardless of countries, which significantly contribute to the development of a peaceful, stable, independent, and self-sustaining society. Consequently, stakeholders in higher education have advocated for the establishment of Quality…

This article is excerpted from the book "Exemplars of Assessment in Higher Education, Volume Two" (Souza and Rose) and includes an excerpt from Howard University (Phillips). There is a complex relationship between institutional (formerly regional) accrediting bodies and institutions of higher education. Though we believe that accreditors…

Auburn University engaged in the reaffirmation process with SACSCOC (institutional accreditor) and received recommendations surrounding assessment practices. It was from these recommendations that the Office of Academic Assessment (OAA) was created in July 2015, providing dedicated assessment support to faculty responsible for educational…

This paper discusses the major academic accrediting organizations for collegiate business schools, including the accrediting organizations that make up the so-called "Triple" accrediting bodies that many collegiate business schools attempt to obtain. Then it identifies those business programs in Australia, New Zealand, the United…

To ensure each county board of education provides a thorough and efficient education for its students, the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) annually reviews county scorecards and efficiency profiles provided by the Office of Accountability. County statuses are reviewed and determined based on multiple measures of student performance and…

Accreditation is typically a voluntary process that involves a thorough evaluation of an organization's policies, procedures, and practices. Much like a colonoscopy, the evaluation process probes deep and can be uncomfortable. With the discomfort, time, cost, and effort it takes to undergo evaluation for accreditation, the natural question is…

Recent Florida legislation (SPB 7044) should be viewed with much concern and with skepticism as to the intent of the bill and its unintended consequences. The bill requires state colleges and universities to seek reaffirmation from different accrediting organizations at the end of each review cycle. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation…

The 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) definitively identifies anti-racism as a necessary component of social work education. This change supports an effort to ensure that coming generations of social workers are more than culturally competent, but rather actively anti-racist…

Many institutions perceive accreditation processes as arduous and disruptive to daily operations. However, accreditation standards can (and should) be used for continuous institutional improvement. By understanding and leveraging these processes as guidance for good practice in student affairs, colleagues can be well positioned for ongoing best…

Meaningful development in a society requires a sound teacher education. The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) is saddled with the responsibilities of regulating the teaching profession in Nigeria, and it plays a pivotal role in regulating and ensuring quality control of the teaching profession across the country. It promotes…