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U.S. Government U.S. Government role in higher role in higher education and education and accreditationaccreditation

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDGROWTHGROWTH

SITUATION TODAYSITUATION TODAY

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BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND U.S. CONSTITUTION U.S. CONSTITUTION

No mention of educationNo mention of educationBill of Rights reserves powers to states Bill of Rights reserves powers to states

NO NATIONAL UNIVERSITYNO NATIONAL UNIVERSITYDespite several founding fathersDespite several founding fathers

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE CASE 1819DARTMOUTH COLLEGE CASE 1819 Preserved rights of private collegePreserved rights of private college

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BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

1862 MORRILL ACT 1862 MORRILL ACT Established land grant collegesEstablished land grant colleges

1870 BUREAU OF EDUCATION1870 BUREAU OF EDUCATIONPublished official list of collegesPublished official list of colleges

GREAT EXPANSION GREAT EXPANSION without government oversightwithout government oversight

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Independent Educational Independent Educational AssociationsAssociations

1847 American Medical Association1847 American Medical Association 1876 American Library Association1876 American Library Association 1885 New England Association of Schools and Colleges*1885 New England Association of Schools and Colleges* 1887 Middles States Association of Colleges and Schools*1887 Middles States Association of Colleges and Schools* 1895 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools*1895 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools* 1895 North Central Association of Colleges and Schools1895 North Central Association of Colleges and Schools** 1900 College Entrance Examination Board1900 College Entrance Examination Board 1915 American Association of University Professors1915 American Association of University Professors 1917 Northwest1917 Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities*Commission on Colleges and Universities* 1918 American Council on Education1918 American Council on Education 1924 Western Association of Schools and Colleges*1924 Western Association of Schools and Colleges* 1926 National Home Study Council (DETC)*1926 National Home Study Council (DETC)* 1932 Engineers’ Council for Professional Development 1932 Engineers’ Council for Professional Development

(ABET)* (ABET)*

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Growth in Higher Growth in Higher EducationEducation

1870

1890 1945 1975 1995 2005 2010

Population(millions)

30 63 140 215 263 296 308

EnrolledStudents(millions)

.06 0.16 1.7 11.2 14.3 17.5 19.5

Institutions

563 998 1,768 2,747 3,706 4,216 7,000Source: Cohen (1998), Snyder (1993),

Brittingham (2009)

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Growth of Growth of Governmental Governmental InvolvementInvolvement 1944 G. I. bill provided direct funding1944 G. I. bill provided direct funding

1952 Veterans Readjustment Act1952 Veterans Readjustment Act Tied federal financial aid to accreditationTied federal financial aid to accreditation Accreditors as “gatekeepers”********Accreditors as “gatekeepers”********

1965 Higher Education Act1965 Higher Education Act Greatly expanded financial aid to studentsGreatly expanded financial aid to students

1968 Federal recognition of accreditors1968 Federal recognition of accreditors 1980 U.S. Department of Education established1980 U.S. Department of Education established 1992 National Advisory Committee for Institutional 1992 National Advisory Committee for Institutional

Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) 2006 Spellings Report2006 Spellings Report 2010 Harkin hearings on for-profit institutions2010 Harkin hearings on for-profit institutions

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Growth of Federal Growth of Federal SupportSupport

1965 almost $20 billion1965 almost $20 billion 1976 over $40 billion1976 over $40 billion 1998 about $50 billion1998 about $50 billion 2005 about $120 billion2005 about $120 billion 2010 about $150 billion2010 about $150 billion

(Student aid, tax benefits, R&D at colleges and (Student aid, tax benefits, R&D at colleges and universities)universities) Source: OMB, DOE & NSF,

Hartle ACE

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“The Triad”

1. Federal government – financial aid

2. State – license to operate, consumer protection

3. Accreditors – educational quality, institutional effectiveness

Regular peer review Evaluation, not ranking

U.S. higher education is overseen by 3 bodies

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“Who accredits the accreditors?”

Recognition by

1. U.S. Secretary of Education

www.ed.gov

2. Council for Higher Education Accreditation

www.chea.org

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Regulatory OverlapsRegulatory Overlaps Who’s in charge?Who’s in charge?

Each part of Triad relies on otherEach part of Triad relies on other ““State Uses of Accreditation” State Uses of Accreditation” www.chea.org

How best to address problemsHow best to address problems Rising costsRising costs Access and need for remediationAccess and need for remediation Concerns that U.S. is falling behindConcerns that U.S. is falling behind

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Current IssuesCurrent Issues Student graduation rateStudent graduation rate Rise of for-profit institutionsRise of for-profit institutions Increase in online educationIncrease in online education TransparencyTransparency

What does public want to know? What does public want to know? Economic uncertaintyEconomic uncertainty

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Obama administrationObama administration Increase in federal spendingIncrease in federal spending Increase in regulationsIncrease in regulations Focus on student learning Focus on student learning

outcomesoutcomes 2020 goals for student 2020 goals for student

completioncompletion

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NACIQI DISCUSSIONSNACIQI DISCUSSIONS If we were starting now, would we design this If we were starting now, would we design this

system?system? Confusion between Confusion between quality assurancequality assurance, , quality quality

improvementimprovement, and , and compliance with regulationcompliance with regulation What should be the role of the federal What should be the role of the federal

government? States? Accreditors? Students and government? States? Accreditors? Students and families?families?

Can Peer Review serve a Can Peer Review serve a compliance/gatekeeping function?compliance/gatekeeping function?

Should there be tiered approach to recognition?Should there be tiered approach to recognition?

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NACIQI DISCUSSIONSNACIQI DISCUSSIONS What should be the metrics of quality?What should be the metrics of quality? Are data requests are intrusive in terms of Are data requests are intrusive in terms of

academic judgment?academic judgment? What implications do costs have for the What implications do costs have for the

relationship between institutions and relationship between institutions and accreditors?accreditors?

Does the current system benefit the Does the current system benefit the consumer’s decision-making?consumer’s decision-making?

Should link between financial aid and Should link between financial aid and accreditation be severed?accreditation be severed?

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NACIQI DISCUSSIONSNACIQI DISCUSSIONS Are there better models in other Are there better models in other

countries or other industries?countries or other industries? Can the law incentivize student Can the law incentivize student

completion?completion? Can uniformity be achieved and Can uniformity be achieved and

provide for diversity of institutions?provide for diversity of institutions?

……..Stay tuned…....Stay tuned…..

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Questions and Discussion