Higher education regional accreditation presents problems for colleges and universities in the Southern states. Research on regional accreditation has focused on qualitative approaches to understand how institutions experience accreditation reviews or on quantitative methodologies to examine a single issue of accreditation compliance. However,…

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,…

The accreditation process and the federal role in shaping it are clearly of critical importance for ensuring all students have access to quality postsecondary options. And yet, due to the complexity of the relationship among the federal government, accreditors, and institutions, and the opacity of the accreditation process itself, there is little…

Student mobility and transfer between two-year and four-year institutions are critical issues when considering student success and degree completion. College and university administrators continually work to identify opportunities that align policy and practice with accreditation standards in an effort to facilitate self-study initiatives and meet…

Community college leaders face unprecedented change, and some have begun reexamining their institutional strategic planning processes. Yet, studies in higher education strategic planning spend little time examining how community colleges formulate their strategic plans. This mixed-method qualitative study used an expert sampling method to identify…

This descriptive explanatory research study drew upon a system-wide survey of the California Community College system Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) Coordinators and other SLO leaders to explore how California Community Colleges utilize the Student Learning Outcomes Coordinator positions on their campus, what barriers campuses face when trying to…

Successful colleges require effective leadership and governance. Effective governing boards are comprised of trustees who are committed to excellence in performing their duties. How do governing boards assure they are effective? One way is through ongoing board and trustee education and development, to provide the skills necessary to govern well.…

Part-time faculty need to be brought into the student learning outcomes assessment loop not only to help accreditation, but because they, like full-time faculty, can benefit from assessment. When part-time faculty are not participating in assessment, a sizable percentage of courses are being less effectively taught than they could be. In an…

California community colleges have been inconsistent in their efforts to meet the program review and planning accreditation standards established by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). To assist colleges in their effort to meet the accreditation standards and to improve educational quality, the ACCJC developed the…

Assessment activities have proliferated over the last decade at institutions of higher education. While assessment is useful for institutional improvement, this proliferation has in part been due to greater pressures from regional accreditors on institutions to meet assessment requirements. These higher expectations have led to new expenditures on…

Mergers are part of the historical fabric of US higher education. However, the current economic recession and other policy issues have experts and academicians predicting an increase in higher education mergers in the USA. Consequently, this study analysed the discursive "policy logics" surrounding merger negotiations in US higher…

The experience of professors at community colleges in California shows that a well-organized faculty can advocate for meaningful academic principles--by getting involved in local accreditation, serving on visiting teams, and sitting on the accreditation commission itself. California's community colleges are not in harmonious accord with…

Over the past two decades, the number of community colleges independently offering baccalaureate degree programs has steadily risen. Though still confined to a very small number of institutions and limited degree programs, this phenomenon continues to generate widespread attention and controversy. This occurs because the trend challenges…

After twenty years of expanding school-choice options, state leaders, educators, and families have a new tool: course choice, a strategy for students to learn from unconventional providers that might range from top-tier universities or innovative community colleges to local employers, labs, or hospitals. In "Expanding the Education Universe:…

Research studies show that potential barriers may hinder a successful accreditation process. This research study examined perceptions of Mississippi's community/junior college administrators relating to the accreditation process in general, their communication with the regional accrediting agency, and their institution's facilitation of the…