What is accreditation? Why should a university be accredited?

Accreditation is a voluntary, peer review process. It serves 4 main purposes:

1. to assure quality to the public,
2. to ease student transfer between institutions by signaling quality,
3. provides institutions with access to federal financial aid, and
4. certifies a graduate’s credentials to employers.

An “accredited” university meets the Standards for Accreditation established by an accrediting agency.  The Standards ensure that an institution has appropriate and clear goals, sufficient resources to achieve them, is fulfilling its objectives, and will continue to do so. 

The process provides colleges and universities with an opportunity for reflection, honest assessment of strengths and weaknesses, along with a chance to develop strategies for continued improvement.

Who accredits the accreditors?

Accreditors are organizations federally recognized through the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), a bipartisan committee established under the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1992. NACIQI recognition indicates that an accreditor can adequately determine whether an institution is of sufficient quality to qualify for federal funds for financial aid and other programs.

How does reaccreditation work? What is the process?

According to SACSCOC, accredited institutions are typically reviewed for accreditation every ten years. That process, called the comprehensive evaluation, begins with the preparation of a self-study, which typically takes 12-18 months to prepare and addresses all of the Standards for Accreditation. After reading the self-study, a committee consisting of faculty and administrators from similar institutions visits campus to meet with the university president, faculty, students and staff. The committee provides recommendations to the Commission, which then makes its determination regarding accreditation.

Between comprehensive evaluations, institutions update the Commission on their progress and plans in an Interim Report, which is typically submitted five years after the self-study.

When was UH last reviewed for accreditation? When will be the next review?

Every ten years, UH undergoes reaffirmation of accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Besides supporting internal quality control and demonstrating accountability to constituents, accreditation entitles UH to receive federal funds, including research monies and student scholarships and loans.The University’s last comprehensive accreditation reivew took place in Spring 2018 by SACSCOC. The University is to submit an interim (fifth-year) report for consideration in 2023. The next comprehensive accreditation review will be scheduled for 2028.