Points to problems in the conceptualization and outcomes of accreditation. Imposes a hierarchy of immediacy on the accrediting agency, the institution seeking accreditation, and the consumers of services of the institutions or their graduates. Evaluates Better Business Bureau, Underwriter's Laboratories, and Standard and Poor's as possible models…

Lists by state those institutions being considered for accreditation by the North Central Association. These schools are now known as Candidates for Accreditation. (RK)

Sets forth the criteria established by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. Describes general institutional requirements. Explains the meaning of candidate for accreditation status and accredited status and the criteria that must be met before an institution can gain these statuses. (CAM)

Explains the accreditation program of the North Central Association (NCA) and its activities to improve student learning. Discusses the standards of the NCA and how they promote effective schools; changes in accreditation and the association; criteria for school effectiveness; accreditation options including traditional accreditation and outcomes…

Describes the purposes, origins, and evolution of accreditation; assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the accreditation process and the measures and indicators applied during the process; discusses the results of accreditation; and offers recommendations for improvement of the process. (DMM)

Denotes the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools' fundamental alteration of the purposes and standards of accreditation in 1931-34. Offers introductory comments on the "Symposium on Accreditation," held in April 1987 to once again examine the foundations of accreditation. (DMM)

Discusses issues related to the public disclosure of documentary information produced by accreditation. Argues that accreditation documents would not be informative or useful to the general public, and their disclosure would have ill effects on the accreditation process. (DMM)

Explores the nature of accreditation with respect to the objective of assisting institutional improvement and the lack of outcomes measures independent of the evaluation process. Differentiates between accreditation and assessment. Analyzes the methods and criteria of accreditation and proposes educational outcomes as norms of evaluation. (DMM)

The philosophy of accreditation is discussed in a paper commissioned by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools for a project on "Rethinking Accreditation." After defining accreditation and distinguishing it from assessment, evaluation and "meta-evaluation" are discussed, including the nature of accreditation in…

Questions the value of accreditation as an effective force for improvement at large and/or prestigious institutions. Challenges institutions, accrediting agencies, and evaluators to emphasize the centrality of teaching and learning to all institutions in confirming quality. Offers suggestions for enhancing the value of the evaluation/accreditation…

Considered appropriate mechanisms and instrumentation to measure structure and form and their use as criteria upon which to base accreditation. (Author/RK)

Explains the evaluation and accreditation processes used by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools for postsecondary institutions. Focuses on the purposes of institutional accreditation, the relationship between accreditation and institutional improvement, accreditation requirements and criteria, and agency services. (DMM)

Discusses the purposes of institutional accreditation, forms of affiliation with the North Central Association's Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, general institutional requirements, criteria for accreditation, candidate for accreditation status, accreditation and institutional improvement, services of the commission, and varieties…

Explains the evaluation and accreditation processes used by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools for postsecondary institutions. Focuses on the purposes of of institutional accreditation, the relationship between accreditation and institutional improvement, accreditation requirements and criteria, and agency services. (DMM)

Discusses the purposes of institutional accreditation, forms of affiliation with the North Central Association's Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, general institutional requirements, criteria for accreditation, candidate for accreditation status, accreditation and institutional improvement, services of the Commission, and varieties…