There is much to report following ACCET’s recent renewal of recognition by the U.S. Department of Education for the maximum five-year period, effective October 23, 2019.  Some exciting initiatives that ACCET is pursuing to provide additional services to our member institutions include:

An Expansion of Scope to Accredit Applied Bachelor’s Degree Programs: To provide additional opportunities for ACCET institutions and their students, ACCET will be applying to the U.S. Department of Education to expand its scope to accredit applied bachelor’s degree programs. ACCET has initiated a pilot to begin accrediting applied bachelor’s degree programs and is currently working with three institutions that will be applying for accreditation of their BA programs. Other institutions are invited to contact ACCET if they are interested in being considered for the pilot.

A Competency-Based Education Task Force: To provide innovative and alternative learning modalities to ACCET institutions and their students, ACCET is establishing a Competency-Based Education Task Force to develop a template with ACCET standards (Specific Field Criteria) for competency-based education (CBE).  This CBE template will be modeled after those established by ACCET for Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) and E-learning.

Online Training Modules: To provide real-time training to member institutions, ACCET will be developing online training modules. By Spring 2020, ACCET’s website will include online “back-to-basics” training modules on: (1) planning, (2) instructional delivery, and (3) satisfactory progress for Intensive English Programs (IEP). Please contact ACCET to suggest other training modules of value to the membership.

Growing the Membership: ACCET congratulates the following institutions on the award of ACCET initial accreditation in 2018 – 2019, reflecting the rich diversity of our expanding membership:

• IATA Training Center
• Institute for Business and Technology
• Manhattan School of Computer Technology
• Saudi Electric Services Polytechnic
• Branford Hall Career Institute
• Southern California Health Institute
• Gradalis Waldorf Consulting Services
• Harris School of Business
• The Salter College
• InterNACHI
• Mariano Moreno Culinary Institute
• Professional Golfers Career College
• The Institute of Clinical Pastoral Training
• Universal Training Institute
• Yanbu Technical Institute (Saudi Arabia)
• Continuing Education Center, American University of Beirut (Lebanon)
• Institute of Banking Studies (Jordan)
• Saudi Aramco Industrial Security Operations Academy
• PACE International Academy
• Saudi Aramco Manpower Development
• American Flight Training
• ARC Broward dba Arc Educates
• Arkansas Fashion School
• Pacific West Academy
• Graduate School USA
• Portland Fashion Institute

At its April 2020 meeting, the Commission will be considering initial accreditation for six additional institutions, including three vocational and three avocational.

Other ACCET News: At its April 2020 meeting, the Commission will welcome a new Institutional Commissioner, Dr. Brad Bouté, Dean of Student Services and Compliance at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.  Additionally, several new staff joined the ACCET team in the fall of 2019, including: Res Helfer as a Senior Accreditation Coordinator with responsibilities for the Financial Review Committee (FRC), Branching Review Committee (avocational institutions), and Complaints; Courtney Smith as an Accreditation Coordinator with responsibility for the Branching Review Committee (IEPs) and the review of reaccreditation applications; Kaitlyn Gough as an Administrative Assistant and Database Liaison; and Curtis Campbell as our new accounting staff.

U.S. Department of Education News:  We are pleased to report that new federal regulations (to become effective July 1, 2020) will eliminate any reference to “national” and “regional” accrediting agencies, with all such agencies simply designated as “institutional accreditors”.  This will be an important first step towards: (1) leveling the playing field for institutions accredited by ACCET and other former “national” accreditors and (2) eliminating artificial and unfair barriers to credit transfer for graduates of ACCET institutions.

Please remember to save the date for ACCET’s annual conference: November 11-13, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency in beautiful Lake Tahoe!

In closing, we at ACCET pledge our continued commitment to working with ACCET members to promote A Partnership for Quality®. We look forward to a productive and successful 2020!

Sincerely,

Judy Hendrickson

Interim Executive Director