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Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions, organized by category. Click the arrow to the left of a question to find a detailed answer to that question. If you do not see an answer to your question on this page, please email info@neche.org and a staff member will respond.
Accreditation is a status that provides assurance to prospective students, their families and the general public that an institution meets clearly stated Standards for Accreditation and that there are reasonable grounds to believe the institution will continue to meet those standards in the future. More information about accreditation is available on this website and from the Council for Higher Education Accreditation www.chea.org and the Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html?src=qc.
In the U.S., schools and colleges voluntarily seek accreditation from nongovernmental bodies. There are two types of educational accreditation: institutional and specialized (or programmatic).
Institutional accreditation is provided by regional and national associations. There are seven regional associations. The regional associations are independent of one another, but they cooperate extensively and acknowledge one another’s accreditation. Several national associations focus on particular kinds of institutions (for example, technical or religious colleges). An institutional accrediting agency evaluates the institution as a whole, applying the standards in light of the institution’s mission. Besides assessing educational programs, it evaluates areas such as governance and administration, financial stability, physical resources, library and technology, admissions, and student services. Institutional accreditation encompasses the entire institution.
Specialized or programmatic accreditation evaluates particular schools or programs within an institution. Specialized accreditation is often associated with national professional associations such as those for engineering, medicine, and law, or with specific disciplines such as business, teacher education, and nursing.
In order to protect students and the public, many states have established regulations that must be met before an educational institution may operate. To operate legally, an institution needs state approval, which may include licensure. In fact, an institution must have the appropriate state authorization to operate before it can seek accreditation. But in most states, institutions do not have to be accredited to operate. (Some states require institutions to be accredited by a DOE-recognized accreditor.)
Accreditation is voluntary. It represents an institution’s willingness to abide by the Standards and to open itself regularly to examination by outside evaluators familiar with higher education. As such accreditation is recognized as a symbol of accountability to the public.
No. In the U.S., accreditation is handled through non-governmental agencies, many of which are recognized by the federal government as reliable authorities on the quality of education. Only institutions accredited by those agencies are authorized to participate in federal Title IV funding (student financial aid). A list of the Department of Education’s nationally-recognized accrediting agencies can be found at the website here: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html#NationallyRecognized
Yes. NECHE is an institutional accreditor, so it accredits the institution as a whole, including all programs at all locations, as well as those offered online.
The Commission consists of presidents, senior administrators, and faculty from member institutions, as well as representatives of the public from outside higher education. Commissioners are elected for no more than two three-year terms. Commissioners are bound by explicit ethical standards to prevent conflict of interest. A listing of Commissioners and their affiliations may be found here, along with a summary of recent actions. The Commission’s programs and policies are implemented by staff listed here.
The New England Commission of Higher Education is evaluated regularly by the Department of Education. This evaluation results in the Commission being “recognized” by the Department of Education.
For more information about accreditation, consult the CHEA website at: www.chea.org.
Accreditation is not for a specific period of time but is a continuing relationship that is subject to periodic review. Institutions provide information to the Commission annually and at other intervals depending on the circumstances. Comprehensive evaluations, including site visits by a team of peer evaluators, take place at least every ten years. The Commission holds four regular meetings each year to review institutional reports and reports of peer evaluation teams. The Standards for Accreditation guide all decisions. More information about the accreditation process is available here.
NECHE maintains a database of more than 1,500 experienced senior educators, from all types of accredited colleges and universities, who have volunteered for this important task. They are carefully selected and trained to evaluate institutions according to the Standards for Accreditation.
An institution must first be licensed to operate in one of the six New England states and demonstrate that it meets the Commission’s Requirements of Affiliation. (Overseas institutions follow a slightly different procedure, explained here).
The Commission determines whether or not an institution may apply for candidacy only after comprehensive review and on-site evaluation. The process begins with an in-person interview with Commission staff at the NECHE office. The length of time to candidacy depends on a number of factors, including how long the institution has been in operation and the results of its on-site evaluations. Once candidacy is achieved, an institution must progress to accreditation within five years. More information about candidacy may be found here.
New institution: An institution that is not currently accredited by an agency in the United States that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Applicant institution: An institution that is currently accredited by and in good standing with an accreditation body in the Untied States that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
New Institution: This is a two-step process comprising Eligibility and Candidacy that can take up to seven years. The Eligibility period is no more than two years during which time the institution prepares a self-study and schedules a Candidacy visit. Candidacy is a period of up to five years during which time the institution comes into compliance with the Standards for Accreditation and prepares for initial accreditation. For additional information on becoming accredited, review the guidelines here.
Applicant Institution: This is an accelerated process that generally takes 18 to 24 months. After an initial meeting with Commission staff to determine that NECHE is a good fit, the institution is invited to apply for accreditation with NECHE. Commission staff work with the institution as it prepares its applicant report demonstrating the ways in which it meets the Standards for Accreditation and an applicant visit is conducted by a team of (generally) 4 to 6 evaluators, depending on the size of the institution. The application materials are considered by the Commission at one of its regularly scheduled meetings (March, April, September, or November). If the application is approved by the Commission, the institution becomes an accredited member of NECHE.
New Institution: There are several visits by staff and/or evaluation teams required during the Eligibility and Candidacy period.
Applicant Institution: This process requires a staff visit and an application visit.
In addition to the fee for a particular visit, the institution is responsible for expenses related to travel and accommodation for all team members. Business class tickets for all team members are required to most international locations. The current fees for each of the visits listed below can be found here.
No. Colleges and universities differ so much from one another (with regard to mission, types of programs, students served) that they cannot be reliably ranked. Various commercial publications rank institutions on specific details (such as size, tuition, endowment, selectivity, faculty publications). These rankings may offer one source of information, but they do not contain all the information needed to determine institutional quality. Each student must determine whether an institution meets his or her needs.
See our roster of institutions.
NECHE accredits institutions, not programs. Therefore, if the institution is accredited by NECHE, then that status encompasses the entire institution. For information about whether the program has specialized (or programmatic) accreditation, consult the institution, the accreditor in that field, or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website at www.chea.org.
Contact the registrar of your institution, who can validate its accreditation status and provide proof that you received your degree.
The Commission does not release institutional reports or correspondence. Some institutions post their self-studies on their websites. If you have an interest in a particular institution’s self-study, you are encouraged to contact the president or chief executive officer of the institution.
No. Every institution retains the right to determine what credits and degrees it will accept. Transferability of credits depends on a number of factors, including accreditation, curriculum compatibility, and grades. Institutions are required under NECHE’s Standards to have clear transfer policies and to make those policies available to you. Consult the Policy on Transfer and Award of Academic Credit. If you have questions about whether your credits or degrees will be accepted, check with the Registrar or Admissions office of the school to which you intend to apply.
No. States and graduate schools set their own requirements for licensure or admission. The appropriate contact is the state board of education or graduate school admissions department.
The closing institution arranges with the state department of higher education or other appropriate agency to file all academic records as well as financial aid information. You should receive a notice from the college about arrangements made for filing student records. Begin further inquiries by contacting the higher education agency in the state where the institution was authorized to operate. If the college merges with another institution, that institution will receive the records. If you need further assistance, contact a member of the Commission staff.
There are several ways. During an institution’s comprehensive review, the Commission seeks written third-party comments. Visiting evaluation teams will also be available on campus to meet with students, faculty, or staff who have a concern about an institution. Consult the schedule of Upcoming Evaluations to see institutions undergoing comprehensive review.
At any time, you may contact the Commission in writing with a complaint that raises significant questions about institutional conditions that violate the Standards. The Commission does not adjudicate individual grievances. Persons wishing to lodge a complaint against a member institution should first consult the Commission’s Consideration of Complaints Against Affiliated Institutions for information about the procedure. Complaints should reference the Standards and be supported by evidence. For further guidance on filing a complaint, email info@neche.org.
The public is alerted to the serious risks of unaccredited institutions offering degrees of questionable merit, referred to as “degree mills.” Of equal concern are institutions claiming to hold accreditation from what may be dubious accreditors, referred to as “accreditation mills.”
Consider carefully what you hope to accomplish. The Commission’s complaint process is not designed to address individual problems or provide individualized resolutions.
Complaints will be considered by the Commission only if they focus on substantive institutional conditions that may indicate non-compliance with the Standards for Accreditation.
Some questions to ask to determine if your concern meets the Commission’s seven criteria for consideration:
If you seek redress of a grievance, re-admission to a program, adjustment of a bill or grade, or action that would provide a personal remedy for your situation, the Commission’s complaint process is not for you. Instead, contact your institution’s ombudsperson or someone who can help you appeal an institutional decision. If you have already used your own institution’s internal process but have not received the outcome you wanted, you may wish to consider external structures such as a court of law, state or federal administrative agency such as the State’s Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau, or private mediation and dispute resolution. The Commission’s complaint procedure is not a substitute for these processes and provides no personal remedies.
The Commission is a private, membership organization that evaluates the quality of higher education institutions. It is not a governmental body, nor is it charged with enforcing public law. Complaints regarding alleged criminal conduct need to be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation. Complaints about discrimination or human rights violations should be referred to the appropriate state agency.
| Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities |
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| 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103 |
| Tel. 860-541-3400 Connecticut Toll Free: 1-800-477-5737 TDD: 860-541-3400 |
| www.ct.gov/chro/site/default.asp |
| Maine Human Rights Commission |
|---|
| #51 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333 |
| Tel. 207-624-6050 |
| www.maine.gov/mhrc/mhrc/home |
| Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination |
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| One Ashburton Pl., 6th Floor, Room 601, Boston, MA 02108 |
| Tel. 617-994-6000 |
| www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-commission-against-discrimination |
| New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights |
|---|
| 2 Industrial Park Drive, Bldg. One, Concord, NH 03301 |
| Tel. 603-271-2767 |
| www.nh.gov/index.htm |
If you are in need of the services of a language Interpreter if English is not your first language, the Commission for Human Rights offers telephone interpretation of 150 languages for immediate or scheduled intake services or general questions. Please call our main line 603-271-2767 press option #0 to request a language interpreter, or email the Commission at humanrights@hrc.nh.gov to make an appointment, be sure to state the language you will need interpreted. For accommodations for persons with disabilities, please call our main line 603-271-2767 press option #0 or contact us through email at humanrights@hrc.nh.gov. |
| Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights |
|---|
| 180 Westminster St., 3rd Floor, Providence, RI 02903 |
| Tel. 401-222-2661 |
| www.richr.ri.gov/ |
| Vermont Human Rights Commission |
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| 12 Baldwin Street, Montpelier, VT 05633 |
| Toll Free Tel. 800-416-2010 Tel. 802-828-2480 |
| hrc.vermont.gov |
| human.rights@vermont.gov |
No. To file a complaint about how an institution administers federal financial aid, contact the New England Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Education at 617-289-0133. To resolve a problem with an existing student loan, you can find assistance at https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman/disputes/prepare.
No. Documents intended primarily for other audiences cannot provide sufficient information to help the Commission determine whether it can proceed with your complaint. Because the complaint policy addresses only potential violations of the Standards for Accreditation, the Commission does not respond to or take action on correspondence directed to another body.
No. Anonymous complaints are difficult for the Commission to process even when they appear to raise relevant accrediting issues. The Commission has no way to ask for additional information from the complainant or to engage in other follow-up. Therefore, the Commission does not accept anonymous complaints.
The Commission has the discretion to determine whether or not a complaint meets its criteria for consideration. If the complaint meets the criteria, it is forwarded to the institution’s chief executive officer, who has 30 days to respond. The Commission reviews the complaint and the institutional response at its next regularly scheduled meeting. (The Commission holds four regular business meetings each year, generally in September, November, March, and April.)
In many cases, the institution can provide the Commission with adequate assurances that it has appropriate policies in place and has acted in accordance with those policies, or that it has recognized a problem and initiated corrective action. In such cases, no further action is warranted.
If the facts of the complaint and the institution’s response raise significant concerns regarding the institution’s current compliance with the Standards for Accreditation, the Commission determines the appropriate steps to take, depending on the circumstances and in keeping with the Commission’s policy on Periodic Review of Accredited Institutions. The institution and the complainant are notified by letter of the Commission’s decision.
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