Accreditation & Accolades

Accreditation is a voluntary process that colleges and universities undergo to ensure they meet specific higher education and organizational requirements. Accrediting agencies examine each institution's academic programs, financial condition, governance/administration, admissions and student services personnel, resources, student academic achievement, among other areas.

Accreditation by one of the following agencies is the most rigorous and therefore the most highly regarded form of accreditation an educational institution can achieve, and is strictly monitored and reviewed by a board of higher education professionals. There are six major accrediting bodies in the United States:

• New England Commission of Higher Education. The accrediting agency of Champlain College, this agency accredits the institutions in all six New England States, and includes on its roster Harvard University, University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts, and Dartmouth College to name only a few.
• Middle States Association. This agency accredits the states typically identified as the mid-Atlantic states (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, The District of Columbia) as well as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
• North Central Association. States governed by this accrediting agency include Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Accredits institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accredits institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This organization accredits institutions in California and Hawaii as well as the territories of Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Northern Marianas Islands

While the US Government does not usually allow institutions to pursue more than one regional accreditation, all six of these agencies recognize the others as equals.

Accreditation assures prospective students that the courses and programs offered by a college or university are of high quality and value. It also allows students access to federal student aid, and ensures the largest possible number of colleges or universities that will accept your transfer credits.

Yes. There are two other types of accreditation: national and programmatic. Programmatic accreditation is program-specific and is appropriate for professional programs that will lead to a certification or licensure. Credits earned at institutions with only programmatic and/or national accreditations are generally not accepted by institutions that have Regional Accreditation, so investigate an institution's accreditation thoroughly if you think you may ever want to transfer credits you've earned to another school in the future.

No, they are two very different things. In order to operate, an institution of higher learning must be licensed by the state in which it is located. However, institutions do not have to be regionally accredited to operate. Regional accreditation is a voluntary process that is generally viewed as a show of accountability to the public an institution serves. Undergoing the regional accreditation process shows an institution is willing to abide by certain strict standards of operation. It also indicates an institution has nothing to hide as the accreditation process entails an institution opening itself up for extensive examination by an outside entity familiar with higher education.

You should always do your homework to ensure that you will receive an education that is worth more than what you pay for it. For more information about accreditations in general, and Champlain College's in particular, please visit the following sites:

• The New England Commission of Higher Education
• U.S. Department of Education
• Council for Higher Education Accreditation