A Litmus Test of Academic Quality

Orkodashvili, Mariam (2009): A Litmus Test of Academic Quality.

Abstract

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in the accreditation process serve students and the public? What is the role that accreditors on federal and state levels can play in improving institutional accountability or changing institutional behaviour; and hence, what are the standards and implications of federal vs. state involvement in the accreditation process? What is accreditation’s role in addressing problems raised by arbitrary denial of transfer of credit? And what role does accreditation play in assessing distance education? The paper supports the idea that high quality instruction, academic freedom, accountability and transparency should go hand in hand. Agreement should be reached between different parties involved on what to consider as reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction and how to best measure them for the purposes of accreditation. The evaluation data should be made a public knowledge to increase transparency and serve student interests. And finally, preserving the unique balanced relationship and golden medium that exists between peer review and appropriate levels of government involvement in the process of accreditation would be the best option for further development of higher education in the U.S.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: accreditation; autonomy; accountability; regional and national standards of quality; federal and state funding of higher education; economic development; invetsment in human capital; economic growth; transparency; power struggles.
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D63 - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement; A - General Economics and Teaching > A2 - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics > A23 - Graduate; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I21 - Analysis of Education; Z - Other Special Topics > Z1 - Cultural Economics ; Economic Sociology ; Economic Anthropology > Z13 - Economic Sociology ; Economic Anthropology ; Social and Economic Stratification; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I22 - Educational Finance ; Financial Aid; A - General Economics and Teaching > A2 - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics > A22 - Undergraduate; A - General Economics and Teaching > A1 - General Economics > A13 - Relation of Economics to Social Values; H - Public Economics > H7 - State and Local Government ; Intergovernmental Relations > H75 - State and Local Government: Health ; Education ; Welfare ; Public Pensions; A - General Economics and Teaching > A1 - General Economics > A12 - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education and Research Institutions > I28 - Government Policy; D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D61 - Allocative Efficiency ; Cost-Benefit Analysis; H - Public Economics > H5 - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies > H52 - Government Expenditures and Education; A - General Economics and Teaching > A1 - General Economics > A14 - Sociology of Economics

References

Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/default.asp

Crow, S. D. (2004). Statement of Dr. Steven D. Crow, Executive Director, Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Chicago, Illinois. In H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Davis, J. A. (2004). Statement of Dr. James A. Davis, President, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia. In H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Day, R. W., Mellinger, B. L. (1973). Accreditation of two-year colleges in the South. Commission on Colleges. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Erwin, T. D. (2004). Statement of Dr. T. Dary Erwin, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Assessment and Program Evaluation, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia. In H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

GAO. (March, 2007). Higher education: issues related to law school accreditation: report to congressional requests. U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Geiger, R. L. (2005). The Ten Generations of American Higher Education. In P. G. Altbach, R. O. Berdahl, and P. J. Gumport (Eds.). (2005). American Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century. Social, Political, and Economic Challenges. Second Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, pp. 38-70.

Haggerty, M. E. (1937). The evaluation of higher institutions. II. The faculty. A series of monographs based on the investigation conducted for the Committee on Revision of Standards, Commission on Higher Institutions of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The University of Chicago Press. Chicago, Illinois.

Harcleroad, F. F. and Eaton, J. S. (2005). The hidden hand. External constituencies and their impact. In P. G. Altbach, R. O. Berdahl, and P. J. Gumport (Eds.). (2005). American Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century. Social, Political, and Economic Challenges. Second Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, pp. 253-283.

Hearing of the Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (March 4, 2004). Examining issues for reauthorization of the higher education act, focusing on a knowledge-based economy, the relationship between postsecondary education and the workforce, and financial aid. United States Senate. One hundred eighth congress, second session.

Higher Education Accreditation in the United States. (18 September, 2004). What international education professionals need to know. EAIE Conference, Torino. Source: http://www.eaie.org/pdf/torino/205.pdf

H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Keiser, A. (2004). Statement of Dr. Arthur Keiser, Immediate Past Chairman, Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. In H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Kildee, D.E. (2004). Statement of Hon. Dale E. Kildee, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce. In H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Larson, R. W. (November, 1974). Accreditation problems. The promise of PBTE. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the ERIC Clearinghouse on Teacher Education.

Martin, J. L. (2004). Statement of Dr. Jerry L. Martin, Chairman, American Council of Trustees and Alumni, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce. In H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Maul, R.C. (April, 1969). Accreditation of teacher education by NCATE. A survey of opinions commissioned by the Coordinating Board of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Washington, D. C.

McKeon, P.B. (2004). Statement of Hon. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, Chairman, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce. In H.R. 4283, the College Access and Opportunity Act: Does Accreditation Provide Students and Parents Accountability and Quality? U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness, Committee on Education and the Workforce, June 22, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Miller, H.N. (August 3, 2007). Legislation can end bias against career colleges. Pro & con: transferring credit. The Chronicle Review, Vol. 53, Issue 48, p. B8.

http://chronicle.com/weekly/v53/i48/48b00801.htm

Proefriedt, W. A. (2008). High expectations. The cultural roots of standards reform in American education. Advances in Contemporary Educational Thought Series. Teachers College. Columbia University, New York and London.

Reactions to the Spellings Commission Report from scholars and educators (2006): Source: http://www.highereducation.org/crosstalk/ct0406/Spellings.pdf

Rovai, A. P., Ponton, M. K., Baker, J. D. (2008). Distance learning in higher education. A programmatic approach to planning, design, instruction, evaluation, and accreditation. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York and London.

Schmidtlein, F. A. and Berdahl, R. O. (2005). Autonomy and accountability. Who controls academe? In P. G. Altbach, R. O. Berdahl, and P. J. Gumport (Eds.). (2005). American Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century. Social, Political, and Economic Challenges. Second Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London, pp. 71-90.

The Chronicle of Higher Education. (August 8, 2008). How 5 Key Issues were handled in the Higher Education Act. Volume 54, Issue 48, p. A 11. http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i48/48a01202.htm US Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

Zook, G. F. and Haggerty, M. E. (1936). The evaluation of higher institutions. I. Principles of accrediting higher institutions. A series of monographs based on the investigation conducted for the Committee on Revision of Standards, Commission on Higher Institutions of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The University of Chicago Press. Chicago, Illinois.

Zumeta, W. (2001). Public policy and accountability in higher education: lessons from the past and present for the New Millennium. In D. Heller (Ed.). (2001). The states and public higher education policy: affordability, access, and accountability. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 155-197.