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March 10, 2004
This is the third in a series of bulletins on preparation at UNC for
the NCA Accreditation review. This bulletin focuses on the criteria
established by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
of Colleges and Universities (NCA). For each of the five criteria, NCA
has specified a title and definition, core components (qualities of
the institution that represent fulfillment of that criterion), and examples
of evidence (illustrations of evidence related to the core components).
For elaboration on the criteria, please see the 3rd edition of the Handbook
of Accreditation, available as a PDF file at http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/resources/handbook/.
Following are brief descriptions of the criteria.
The Five NCA Criteria: Titles and Definitions
1. Mission and Integrity
The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of
its mission through structures and processes that involve the board,
administration, faculty, staff, and students.
2. Preparing for the Future
The organization's allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation
and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission, improve
the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.
3. Student Learning and Effective Teaching The organization provides
evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates
it is fulfilling its educational mission.
4. Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge The organization
promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff,
and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice,
and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.
5. Engagement and Service
As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies
and serves them in ways both value.
Other Criteria
In addition to asking institutions to address the five criteria, NCA
requires them to describe other aspects of their operations. Examples
include compliance with federal laws and data on enrollment trends,
student admissions, financial aid, instructional staff and faculty,
library collections, computing resources, and numbers of students participating
in intercollegiate athletic programs.
Thanks for your attention and willingness to learn more about preparation
for the NCA accreditation review. The draft of the UNC self-study report
is currently being edited. When the editing is completed, the report
will be circulated first to members of the NCA Steering Committee at
UNC and then to the entire campus community.
Vincent Scalia and Teresa McDevitt, Co-Chairs, NCA Steering Committee