Accreditation Activation : A Study to Gain Understanding of Faculty Perceptions of Accreditation Participation in Two-Year Colleges

Accreditation is an important distinction of education quality in the realm of colleges and universities. According to the US Department of Education, the purpose of accreditation is to certify that the education given by institutions meet national standards of quality. Fundamentally, accreditation ensures that students are obtaining a quality education – and for future employers and graduate programs to recognize education at a specific standard. While accreditation is an essential component of institutional success and sustainability, it has been considered an administrative procedure that focuses on compliance and not for institutional effectiveness. Therefore, recent participation in accreditation shows to be somewhat limited in warranting participation from faculty, primarily at the two-year college level. The following study sought to define gaps within accreditation participation and identify solutions to support inclusiveness and contribution of faculty to the accreditation process