Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) – Program for maintaining affiliation with The Higher Learning Commission based on the principles of continuous improvement.

accreditation association or commission – A nongovernmental body established to administer accrediting procedures.

accreditation, institutional – Accreditation that evaluates an entire educational organization and accredits it as a whole.

accreditation, national – A type of institutional accreditation primarily for religious colleges and universities, private trade and technical schools, private business colleges, and colleges focusing on health-related fields, as well as organizations offering programs primarily through distance delivery and home study.

accreditation, regional – A type of institutional accreditation provided by seven recognized accrediting commissions of the six regional accrediting associations.

Accreditation Review Council (ARC) – Commission decision-making body consisting of sixty or more experienced consultant-evaluators and public members who participate in the review processes of the Commission.

accreditation, specialized (also called program accreditation) – Accreditation of units, schools, or programs within a larger educational organization or for the sole program or area of concentration of an independent, specialized institution.

accredited status – Status that indicates that an educational organization meets the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation.

Annual Institutional Data Update – Online report completed annually by affiliated organizations.

Association – The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Board of Trustees (BOT)– The governing body of the Commission, made up of fifteen to twenty-one members of the Commission and representatives of the public.

candidacy – Preaccreditation status, which does not carry membership in the Commission. Commission – See The Higher Learning Commission

Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (CASI) – The commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that accredits elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools that do not award degrees, the Department of Defense Schools operated overseas for the children of American military and civilian personnel, and the Navajo Nation schools.

comprehensive visit – Team visit to an organization seeking accreditation or continuation of accreditation.

consultant-evaluators (C-E)– Members of the Commission’s peer review corps who serve in the evaluation processes of the Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality.

contingency report – Report required when pending changes may have a significant effect on an organization.

Core Components – Subcategories of the Criteria for Accreditation that are reviewed in order to determine whether an organization meets the Criteria.

Criteria for Accreditation – The framework for determining an organization’s accreditation.

Eligibility Process – The process by which the Commission determines whether a non-affiliated organization is ready to begin the candidacy process.

Evaluation Summary Sheet (ESS) – A document prepared for an educational organization undergoing evaluation that includes basic information about the visit or Evaluators Panel and identifies the team members.

Evaluators Panel – Panel made up of three peer reviewers to consider an organizational change request.

Examples of Evidence – Illustrative examples of the types of evidence an organization might present in addressing a Core Component of a Criterion for Accreditation.

focused visit – A team visit that occurs between comprehensive evaluations to examine specific aspects of an organization.

The Higher Learning Commission – The commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that accredits degree-granting higher education organizations.

Institutional Action Council (IAC) – Decision-making body of the Commission made up of twenty experienced peer reviewers and six representatives of the public.

legal authorization – The official act of a state department of education or other recognized agency having official authority certifying that a school, institute, college, university, or specialized program of studies complies with minimum legal.

monitoring report – Report that signals that a situation at an organization should change.

Obligations of Affiliation – The responsibilities that organizations affiliated with the Commission are required to fulfill in order to retain their affiliation.

Operational Indicators – Data on an organization that form the basis of the organization’s Annual Report.

Organizational Profile (OP) – Demographic information, program information, student performance data, and information on campus sites and distributed education offerings that take the place of the Statement of Institutional Scope and Activity.

PEAQ – See Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality

Peer Review Corps – The group of professionals who serve in accreditation processes.

Preliminary Information Form (PIF) – Documentation of an organization’s ability to meet the Eligibility Requirements submitted by an organization considering affiliation with the Commission.

probation – A public status signifying that conditions at an accredited organization that jeopardize its ability to meet the Criteria for Accreditation.

Professional Data Report – Summary of basic information about the background and experience of a consultant-evaluator. Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality (PEAQ) – The traditional program for maintaining accreditation with The Higher Learning Commission.

progress report – Report that provides specific information from an organization, monitors its progress in coping with changes or challenges, or gives evidence that institutional plans came to fruition as expected.

Public Disclosure Notice – A public notice that the Commission may prepare to explain a particular situation at an affiliated organization.

self-study process – A formal, comprehensive, institution-wide process of self-examination in preparation for a scheduled comprehensive evaluation.

self-study report – A document prepared by an organization that describes the process used to conduct the self-study, evaluates what it learned, and proposes what it intends to do with the knowledge. The report functions as the formal argument that the organization satisfies the Criteria for Accreditation.

site visit – A team visit to an off-campus site.

staff liaison – Commission staff member who serves as resource person for and liaison to an organization.

Statement of Affiliation Status (SAS) – An official document that summarizes the status of the organization with the Commission.

team report – Report that documents the findings and recommendation of the team that visited an organization on behalf of the Commission.

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

AACJC-Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges

AAHE-Alliance for Adult Higher Education

AASCU-American Association of State Colleges and Universities

AAU-Association of American Universities

ABET-Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology

ACE-American Council on Education

ACICS-Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

ACRL-Association of College & Research Libraries

ACT-American College Testing

AGB-Association of Governing Boards

AIHEC-American Indian Higher Education Consortium

ASPA-Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors

CEO-chief executive officer

CACUBO-Midwest section of Association for College & University Business Officers

CAEL-Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

CAO-chief academic officer

CGS-Council of Graduate Schools

CHEA-Council for Higher Education Accreditation

CIHE-Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (Old name for HLC)

CNCTYC-Council of North Central Two Year Colleges

COEFD-Committee on Organizational Effectiveness and Future Directions (Completed its study in 1997)

COS-Commission on Schools (Old name for other NCA Commission)

CQAIE-Center for Quality Assurance in International Education

C-RAC-Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions

DOE-Department of Education (U.S.)

ETS-Educational Testing Service

FAQs-Frequently asked questions

GATE-Global Alliance for Transnational Education

ICSAC-International Council of School Accrediting Commissions

IRAC-Inter-regional Accrediting Committee (WGU)

INQAAHE-International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education

MHEC-Midwestern Higher Education Commission

MSA-Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

NAACLS-National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

NAICU-National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities

NASAD-National Association of Schools of Art and Design

NASC-Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges

NASULGC-National Association of State Universities and Land Grand Colleges

NCA-North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

NEASC-New England Association of Schools and Colleges

OASIS-Office of Assessment Support, Initiatives, and Services

Organization-Organization providing higher learning

OP-Organizational Profile

PIF-Preliminary Information Form

RFP-Request for funding proposal

SACS-Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

SEC-Security and Exchange Commission (U.S.)

SHEEO-State Higher Education Executive Officers

The Academy-The Academy for Assessment of Student Learning (part of OASIS)

UCEA-University Continuing Education Group

USDE-United States Department of Education

WASC-Western Association of Schools and Colleges

WCET-Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications

WGU-Western Governors University

WICHE-Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education