Accreditation
PNC Accreditation Visit a
Success!
In April of 2011, Purdue
North Central hosted a comprehensive three-day visit by
the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
Association. This was a routine visit and was specified
by our last comprehensive visit in April 2001. In
September, the Higher Learning Commission issued formal
notification that accredited status has been continued
for Purdue North Central. The next comprehensive
evaluation is scheduled for 2020-21.
The accreditation report
stated, “The team found the Self Study document to be
outstanding…The document was well written, candid in its
approach and contained thoughtful evaluation of the
institution.” The team recognized several areas of
significant accomplishments, progress, and/or practices,
including: sense of community; campus life; diversity
and global initiatives; and financial and resource
stewardship.
In addition to continuing accreditation, PNC
has been changed to a Master's degree granting
institution and can add or expand distance learning
programs without Commission approval. The report states
that “Purdue North Central is doing a quality job of
offering distance delivery of courses and programs.”
The team identified student success and degree
completion as areas for improvement, with particular
focus on general education and advising. A report on
those topics is due by March 31, 2011.
Please click on the following links for more
information:
The Higher Learning Commission has the
responsibility of providing accreditation for the
institutions of higher education in our geographic area.
There are six such commissions in the country.
Accreditation:
-
Encourages confidence that an institution’s or
program’s presentation of the education it provides
is fair and accurate, including the description of
services available to students and the
accomplishments of its graduates.
-
Assures that a neutral, external party (the
accrediting organization) has reviewed the quality
of education provided and has found it to be
satisfactory, based upon appropriate peer expertise.
-
Confirms that institutions and programs have
processes in place to meet changes in thinking
within the academy and in the public’s expectations;
-
Provides for eligible students to have access to
federal financial aid if they attend institutions
accredited by accreditors that are “recognized” or
scrutinized for quality by the U.S. Department of
Education (USDE).
-
Assists with transfer of credits among institutions
or admission to graduate school, with student
mobility more likely to be successful among
accredited institutions as compared to unaccredited
institutions.
-
Aids with entrance to a profession, when a
particular field may require graduation from an
accredited program or institution.
-
Signals prospective employers that an educational
program has met widely accepted educational
standards.
(Council for Higher
Education Accreditation, The Value of Accreditation,
June 2010)
Individual academic programs also are accredited by
several accrediting bodies, including the Association of
Collegiate Business Schools and Partnerships; the
National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission;
the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher
Educators; the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology, the National Association of Concurrent
Enrollment Partnerships, and the Council on Social Work.
Click here for an update and timeline of future visits.
Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, (312) 263-0456. http://www.hlcommission.org/.
