Regional accreditation remains a central method of accountability in the United States and the gatekeeper to federal financial aid. Without such funding many colleges and universities would not survive. Prior research suggests that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) face disproportionate accreditation sanctions compared with…

Higher education in the United States is regulated by a triad of the federal government, state governments, and private accreditors. Rather than relying on bureaucrats to ensure quality, federal policy defers such assurance to accrediting agencies. This empowers accreditors to determine which colleges can access financial aid and establishes their…

Tuition-dependent colleges and universities face increasing competition for students. This study examined whether accreditation sanctions might serve as signals of quality and relate to enrollment. Results of a panel analysis showed enrollment declined for institutions after being placed on sanction with their regional accreditor. Specifically,…