Western Association of Schools and Colleges

In February, as vice chair of C-RAC, Ralph Wolff coordinated a two-day retreat of all of the executives and three commissioners from each of the regional accrediting agencies.  This retreat included a set of readings and a facilitated dialoge about issues affecting accreditation.  Links to those readings are provided, below. 

There was considerable agreement over the issues facing accreditation – acknowledging and addressing the increasing calls for accountability, and providing greater information about accreditation and our actions.  At the same time, the commissioners identified a need for regional accreditation to more clearly identify its role and value in relation to other forms of accountability and accreditation, and promote case studies where accreditation has had a positive impact at a range of institutions. 

Background Reading

Where do we go with assessment?

• More Than You Think, Less Than We Need:  Learning Outcomes Assessment in American Higher Education (National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment)   http://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/documents/fullreportrevised-L.pdf

• “It’s the Learning, Stupid” by Jami Merisotis, Lumina Foundation http://www.luminafoundation.org/about_us/president/speeches/2009-10-14.html

• The Bell Curve, by Atul Gawande.  The New Yorker.  (The value of transparency and the urge to be the best)  http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/12/06/041206fa_fact

• Holding Colleges Accountable: Is Success Measurable?  by Kevin Casey.  Time Magazine.   http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1948175,00.html

Addressing the financial downturn

• Rethinking Conventional Wisdom About Higher Ed Finance, by Dennis Jones and Jane Wellman.  http://www.deltacostproject.org/resources/pdf/advisory_10_Myths.pdf

• Rethinking Higher Education: Beyond the Iron Triangle, by Arne Duncan.  http://www.agb.org/trusteeship/2009/septemberoctober/rethinking-higher-education-beyond-iron-triangle

The future of online learning

• Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning (US Dept. of Education report)  http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf

• College for $99 a Month, by Kevin Carey.  Washington Monthly  http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/feature/college_for_99_a_month.php

Challenges of for-profit institutions

• Leveraging Up to Learn, by Bill Alpert.  Barron’s.  http://online.barrons.com/article/SB125755384448934953.html#articleTabs_panel_article%3D1

• Wall Street Journal For-Profit Debt Default Chart  http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/BA_School091109.pdf