Accreditation
What is
it?
Accreditation
is a voluntary peer review process that provides colleges
and universities with the impetus to critically evaluate
their purposes and whether those purposes are being achieved.
Voluntary accreditation ensures quality and institutional
improvement.
Who is
responsible?
Six
regional agencies provide institutional accreditation on
a geographical basis - Middle States, New England, North
Central, Northwest, Southern, and Western.
Mesa
Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
(HLC) and a member of the North Central Association (NCA).
HLC
Address: 30
N. LaSalle St, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602
Website: www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org
Email: info@hlcommission.org
Telelphone: 800-621-7440
Why is it important?
Accreditation:
- ensures
the quality and integrity of MCC's programs and services.
- allows
students to transfer credits to other accredited colleges
and universities.
- enables
students to obtain financial aid and veteran's services.
- allows
the college to participate in projects funded by federal
grants.
- ensures
that the college can recruit and retain quality faculty
and staff.
How does it happen?
Following
an initial accreditation, colleges and universities are
evaluated every ten years and/or periodically as necessary.
Institutions conduct a self study, submit the self-study
report to the HLC, and prepare for an onsite visit from
peer reviewers representing the accrediting agency. According
to the HLC, these consultant-evaluators have two primary
responsibilities: to offer advice to institutions to help
them improve the quality of the education they provide and
to evaluate and confirm the quality of an educational institution.
Criteria for Accreditation
