Download the Report: CHEA Issues CHEA Initiative Final Report

(Washington, DC) –The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) has issued the CHEA Initiative Final Report, drawn from the CHEA Initiative’s four-year national conversation on the future of accreditation.

“The CHEA Initiative was launched in 2008, commencing an unprecedented national discussion of the challenges and opportunities facing higher education accreditation,” said CHEA President Judith Eaton.

The Initiative focused on building support for two major goals: (1) to sustain a balance and distinction between accountability to the federal government and the academic work of accreditation and (2) to further enhance accountability in accreditation. “In addition to affirming the importance of some modification of the accreditation-federal government relationship, the Initiative resulted in clear affirmation of the need for institutions and accrediting organizations to work together to further shape and provide additional leadership for public accountability,” Eaton said.

During the four years of the Initiative, some 2,500 representatives from colleges and universities, recognized accrediting organizations and other participants in higher education accreditation took part in National Accreditation Fora, CEO/CAO roundtables, meetings with accrediting commissions and other activities designed to stimulate discussion and generate ideas.

“The many voices in the accreditation discussion have yielded valuable insights and understandings, for the community and for CHEA,” Eaton concluded.

Download the report