Understanding Federal Compliance Expectations for Accreditation

1. Understanding Federal Compliance Expectations for Accreditation Ellie A. Fogarty – Vice President Debra G. Klinman – Vice President MSCHE Annual Conference December 2011 Middle States Commission on Higher Education

2. Overview • National Context • Certification Statement • Distance Education (Student Identity Verification) • Transfer of Credit • Credit Hours • Title IV Cohort Default Rate • Resources for Additional Information Middle States Commission on Higher Education

3. National Context • Accreditation developed and evolved to promote mission-centered, continuous quality improvement through peer evaluation. • HEA 1965 (with subsequent re-authorizations, including 2008) named accreditors as gatekeepers for institutional access to federal funding. Various regulations have ensued. • Today, while accreditors continue to focus on quality improvement, USDE sees the primary purpose of accreditation as safeguarding federal funds.

4. Certification Statement • Signed by CEO and Board Chair • Attached to the executive summary of the Self-Study or Periodic Review report • Affirms compliance with • MSCHE Requirements of Affiliation • Accreditation-relevant federal requirements • Student Achievement is documented through compliance with Standards 8, 11, 12, and 14

5. Middle States Commission on Higher Education

6. Distance Education • Generally addressed under Standard 13 • MSCHE-approved Distance Education Programs • 50 percent or more of a program’s credits are approved for electronic delivery • Approved via Substantive Change process • Listed on Statement of Accreditation Status • Designated peer reviewer added to visiting teams for institutions with distance education courses and programs Middle States Commission on Higher Education 6

7. Student Identity Verification • HEOA 2008: Institutions must document how student identity is verified • Secure username and password • Proctored exams • New technologies • Protection of student privacy • Notification of student fees at registration • Peer reviewers evaluate compliance Middle States Commission on Higher Education 7

8. Transfer of Credit • Generally addressed under Standards 8 and 11 • HEOA 2008: Institutions must publicly document • Criteria for Transfer Decisions • List of Articulation Agreements • Peer reviewers evaluate compliance Middle States Commission on Higher Education 8

9. Credit Hours • Unit of measurement of academic work • Federal definition consistent with Carnegie Unit • HEOA 2008: Institutions must document that any “reasonable equivalencies” to federal definition can be verified through student learning outcomes • Peer reviewers evaluate compliance Middle States Commission on Higher Education 9

10. Title IV Cohort Default Rate • The percentage of students in a given fiscal year who cannot repay federal loans • Each year, the US Department of Education calculates and publishes the average rate • Institutions must document where they stand in relation to averages • Typically the responsibility of the financial aid office or CFO • Peer reviewers evaluate compliance Middle States Commission on Higher Education 10

11. Resources US Dept of Education http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/policy.html http://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html Official Cohort Default Rates for Schools http://www2.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/defaultmanagement/cdr.html Middle States Commission on Higher Education http://www.msche.org/ Middle States Commission on Higher Education

12. Questions? Middle States Commission on Higher Education