Good Practice for Accrediting in Higher Education

IOQA follows these general guidelines in the review and accreditation of its members:

(a) arranges evaluations or other visits always in consultation with institutional officers

(b) permits the withdrawal of a request for initial accreditation at any time (even after evaluation) prior to final action

(c) recognizes the right of an institution to be appraised in light of its own stated purposes so long as those purposes demonstrably fall within, and adequately reflect, the expectations of institutions defined by the Commission in Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education

(d) considers a program or programs of study at an institution, including its administration and financing, not on the basis of a single predetermined pattern, but directly in relationship to the mission, operation, and goals of the entire institution

(e) establishes criteria for accreditation in terms that are relevant to the quality of an institution, with respect for the principle of institutional uniqueness

(f) uses only relevant qualitative and quantitative information in its evaluation process

(g) assists and stimulates improvement in the educational effectiveness of an institution, and to this end is prepared to provide consultative assistance separate from the accrediting process

(h) encourages sound educational experimentation and innovation

(i) designs the evaluation process not only to obtain information for visiting evaluators but also to stimulate an institution to evaluate and improve itself

(j) conducts evaluation visits by utilizing qualified evaluators under conditions that assure impartial judgment, including representation from the staff of other institutions knowledgeable about the type of institution to be visited

(k) appoints visitors whom the institution does not reject for conflict of interest; however, the Commission has final authority in the formation of evaluation teams and follow-up visitors

(l) cooperates with other accrediting organizations so far as possible in scheduling and conducting joint or collaborative visits with other accreditors, agencies, and organizations when an institution so requests

(m) provides for appropriate consultation during an evaluation visit between and among the team members and the faculty and staff of an institution, including the chief executive officer, his or her designated representatives, and/or members of the governing body

(n) provides opportunities for interviewing students during evaluation visits

(o) provides the president of an institution being evaluated an opportunity to review a draft of the evaluation report prepared by the visiting team and to comment on its accuracy before it is submitted to the Commission

(p) considers decisions relative to accreditation only after an institution has submitted a formal response to the substance of the evaluation report, and when the views of the evaluation team are adequately represented

(q) regards the text of an evaluation report as confidential between an institution and the Commission, except as otherwise provided by applicable law, by accreditation standards or processes, or with the consent of the institution

(r) permits an institution to make such public disposition of evaluation reports as it desires, provided they are not used to misrepresent its status

(s) refrains from conditioning accreditation upon payment of fees for purposes other than membership dues or fees

(t) notifies an institution in writing within 30 days regarding any accreditation decision

(u) revokes accreditation only after advance notice has been given to an institution that such action is contemplated, and the reasons therefore, sufficient to permit timely rejoinder and to pursue established procedures for appeal and review

(v) notifies the U.S. Department of Education, appropriate State agencies, and the