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> NASC Accreditation > NASC Standards
Standard Three
Students
Standard 3.A - Purpose and Organization
Student programs and services support the achievement
of the institution's mission and goals by contributing to the educational
development of its students. Student programs and services are consistent
with the educational philosophy of the institution. The institution provides
essential support services for students, regardless of where or how enrolled
and by whatever means educational programs are offered.
3.A.1 The organization of student services is effective
in providing adequate services consistent with the mission and goals of
the institution.
3.A.2 Student services and programs are staffed by qualified
individuals whose academic preparation and/or experience are appropriate
to their assignments. Assignments are clearly defined and published. The
performance of personnel is regularly evaluated.
3.A.3 Appropriate policies and procedures for student
development programs and services are established. The objectives of each
operating component are compatible and support the goals of student services.
3.A.4 Human, physical, and financial resources for student
services and programs are allocated on the basis of identified needs and
are adequate to support the services and programs offered.
Standard 3.B - General Responsibilities
The institution provides student services and programs
based upon an assessment of student needs, provides adequate support for
the services offered to achieve established goals, and adopts, publishes,
and makes available policies that are accurate and current.
3.B.1 The institution systematically identifies the characteristics
of its student population and students' learning and special needs. The
institution makes provision for meeting those identified needs, emphasizing
students' achievement of their educational goals.
3.B.2 The institution provides opportunities for students
to participate in institutional governance. Faculty are involved in the
development of policies for student programs and services.
3.B.3 Policies on students' rights and responsibilities,
including those related to academic honesty and procedural rights, are
clearly stated, well publicized, readily available, and implemented in
a fair and consistent manner.
3.B.4 The institution makes adequate provision for the
safety and security of its students and their property. Information concerning
student safety is published and widely distributed.
3.B.5 The institution publishes and makes available to
both prospective and enrolled students a catalog or bulletin that describes:
its mission, admission requirements and procedures, students' rights and
responsibilities, academic regulations, degree-completion requirements,
credit courses and descriptions, tuition, fees and other charges, refund
policy, and other items relative to attending the institution or withdrawing
from it. In addition, a student handbook or its equivalent is published
and distributed. A student handbook normally will include information on
student conduct, a grievance policy, academic honesty, student government,
student organizations and services, and athletics. The student handbook
may be combined with the institution's catalog.
3.B.6 The institution periodically and systematically
evaluates the appropriateness, adequacy, and utilization of student services
and programs and uses the results of the evaluation as a basis for change.
Standard 3.C - Academic Credit and Records
Evaluation of student learning or achievement, and
the award of credit, are based upon clearly stated and distinguishable
criteria. Academic records are accurate, secure, and comprehensive.
3.C.1 Evaluation of student learning or achievement, and
the award of credit, are based upon clearly stated and distinguishable
criteria. Academic records are accurate, secure, and comprehensive. Credit
is defined and awarded consonant with the Glossary definition.
3.C.2 Criteria used for evaluating student performance
and achievement including those for theses, dissertations, and portfolios,
are appropriate to the degree level, clearly stated and implemented.
3.C.3 Clear and well-publicized distinctions are made
between degree and non-degree credit. Institutional publications and oral
representations explicitly indicate if credit will not be recognized toward
a degree, or if special conditions exist before such credit will be recognized.
Any use of such terms as extension credit, X credit, continuing education
credit, is accompanied by clear statements regarding the acceptability
of such credit toward degrees offered by that institution. Student transcripts
clearly note when any credit awarded is non-degree credit. Whenever institutions
grant non-degree credit other than the Continuing Education Unit (CEU),
some summary evaluation of student performance beyond mere attendance is
available.
3.C.4 Transfer credit is accepted from accredited institutions
or from other institutions under procedures which provide adequate safeguards
to ensure high academic quality and relevance to the students' programs.
Implementation of transfer credit policies is consistent with 2.C.4 as
well as Policy 2.5 - Transfer and Award of Academic Credit, pages
41-44. The final judgment for determining acceptable credit for transfer
is the responsibility of the receiving institution.
3.C.5 The institution makes provision for the security
of student records of admission and progress. Student records, including
transcripts, are private, accurate, complete, and permanent. They are protected
by fire-proof and otherwise safe storage and are backed by duplicate files.
Data and records maintained in computing systems have adequate security
and provision for recovery in the event of disaster. The information-release
policy respects the right of individual privacy and ensures the confidentiality
of records and files.
Standard 3.D - Student Services
The institution recruits and admits students qualified
to complete its programs. It fosters a supportive learning environment
and provides services to support students' achievement of their educational
goals.
3.D.1 The institution adopts student admission policies
consistent with its mission. It specifies qualifications for admission
to the institution and its programs, and it adheres to those policies in
its admission practices.
3.D.2 The institution, in keeping with its mission and
admission policy, gives attention to the needs and characteristics of its
student body with conscious attention to such factors as ethnic, socio-economic,
and religious diversity while demonstrating regard for students' rights
and responsibilities.
3.D.3 Appropriate policies and procedures guide the placement
of students in courses and programs based upon their academic and technical
skills. Such placement ensures a reasonable probability of success at a
level commensurate with the institution's expectations. Special provisions
are made for "ability to benefit" (see Glossary, page 143) students.
3.D.4 The institution specifies and publishes requirements
for continuation in, or termination from, its educational programs, and
it maintains an appeals process. The policy for readmission of students
who have been suspended or terminated is clearly defined.
3.D.5 Institutional and program graduation requirements
are stated clearly in appropriate publications and are consistently applied
in both the certificate and degree verification process.
3.D.6 The institution provides an effective program of
financial aid consistent with its mission and goals, the needs of its students,
and institutional resources. There is provision for institution-wide coordination
of all financial aid awards.
3.D.7 Information regarding the categories of financial
assistance (scholarships and grants) is published and made available to
both prospective and enrolled students.
3.D.8 The institution regularly monitors its student loan
programs and the institutional loan default rate. Informational sessions
which give attention to loan repayment obligations are conducted for financial
aid recipients.
3.D.9 The institution provides for the orientation of
new students, including special populations, at both undergraduate and
graduate levels.
3.D.10 A systematic program of academic and other educational
program advisement is provided. Advisors help students make appropriate
decisions concerning academic choices and career paths. Specific advisor
responsibilities are defined, published, and made available to students.
3.D.11 Career counseling and placement services are consistent
with student needs and institutional mission.
3.D.12 Professional health care, including psychological
health and relevant health education, is readily available to residential
students and to other students, as appropriate.
3.D.13 Student housing, if provided, is designed and operated
to enhance the learning environment. It meets recognized standards of health
and safety; it is competently staffed.
3.D.14 Appropriate food services are provided for both
resident and nonresident students. These services are supervised by professionally
trained food service staff and meet recognized nutritional and mandated
health and safety standards.
3.D.15 Co-curricular activities and programs are offered
that foster the intellectual and personal development of students consistent
with the institution's mission. The institution adheres to the spirit and
intent of equal opportunity for participation. It ensures that appropriate
services and facilities are accessible to students in its programs. Co-curricular
activities and programs include adaptation for traditionally under-represented
students, such as physically disabled, older, evening, part-time, commuter,
and, where applicable, those at off-campus sites.
3.D.16 The co-curricular program includes policies and
procedures that determine the relationship of the institution with its
student activities; identifying the needs, evaluating the effectiveness,
and providing appropriate governance of the program are joint responsibilities
of students and the institution.
3.D.17 If appropriate to its mission and goals, the institution
provides adequate opportunities and facilities for student recreational
and athletic needs apart from intercollegiate athletics.
3.D.18 If the institution operates a bookstore, it supports
the educational program and contributes to the intellectual climate of
the campus community. Students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity
to participate in the development and monitoring of bookstore policies
and procedures.
3.D.19 When student media exist, the institution provides
for a clearly defined and published policy of the institution's relationship
to student publications and other media.
Standard 3.E - Intercollegiate Athletics
If the institution participates in intercollegiate
athletics, these programs and financial operations are consistent with
the educational mission and goals of the institution and are conducted
with appropriate oversight by the governing board, chief executive officer,
and faculty.
3.E.1 Institutional control is exercised through the governing
board's periodic review of its comprehensive statement of philosophy, goals,
and objectives for intercollegiate athletics. The program is evaluated
regularly and systematically to ensure that it is an integral part of the
education of athletes and is in keeping with the educational mission of
the institution.
3.E.2 The goals and objectives of the intercollegiate
athletic program, as well as institutional expectations of staff members,
are provided in writing to candidates for athletic staff positions. Policies
and rules concerning intercollegiate athletics are reviewed, at least annually,
by athletics administrators and all head and assistant coaches. The duties
and authority of the director of athletics, faculty committee on athletics,
and others involved in athletics policy-making and program management are
stated explicitly in writing.
3.E.3 Admission requirements and procedures, academic
standards and degree requirements, and financial aid awards for student
athletics are vested in the same institutional agencies that handle these
matters for all students.
3.E.4 Athletic budget development is systematic; funds
raised for and expended on athletics by alumni, foundations, and other
groups shall be subject to the approval of the administration and be accounted
for through the institution's generally accepted practices of documentation
and audit.
3.E.5 The institution demonstrates its commitment to fair
and equitable treatment of both male and female athletes in providing opportunities
for participation, financial aid, student-support services, equipment,
and access to facilities.
3.E.6 The institution publishes its policy concerning
the scheduling of intercollegiate practices and competition for both men
and women that avoids conflicts with the instructional calendar, particularly
during end-of-term examinations.
Standard Three - Students Table #1 Admissions Report
Standard Three - Students Table #2 Student Affairs Staff
Profile
3.1 Policy on Institutional Advertising, Student Recruitment, and
Representation of Accredited Status
All candidate and accredited postsecondary institutions,
or individuals acting on their behalf, must exhibit integrity and responsibility
in advertising, student recruitment, and representation of accredited status.
Responsible self-regulation requires rigorous attention to principles of
good practice.
A. Advertising, Publications, Promotional Literature
1. Educational programs and services offered should be
the primary emphasis of all advertisements, publications, promotional literature,
and recruitment activities.
2. All statements and representations should be clear,
factually accurate, and current. Supporting information should be kept
on file and readily available for review.
3. Catalogs and other official publications should be
readily available and accurately depict:
a. institutional mission and goals;
b. entrance requirements and procedures;
c. basic information on programs and courses, with required
sequences and frequency of course offerings explicitly stated;
d. degree and program completion requirements, including
length of time required to obtain a degree or certification of completion;
e. faculty (full-time and part-time listed separately)
with degrees held and the conferring institution;
f. institutional facilities readily available for educational
use;
g. rules and regulations for conduct;
h. tuition, fees, and other program costs;
i. opportunities and requirements for financial aid; and
j. policies and procedures for refunding fees and charges
to students who withdraw from enrollment.
4. In college catalogs and/or official publications describing
career opportunities, clear and accurate information should be provided
regarding:
a. national and/or state legal requirements for eligibility
for licensure or entry into an occupation or profession for which education
and training are offered;
b. any unique requirements for career paths, or for employment
and advancement opportunities in the profession or occupation described.
B. Student Recruitment for Admissions
1. Student recruitment should be conducted by well-qualified
admissions officers and trained volunteers whose credentials, purposes,
and position or affiliation with the institution are clearly specified.
2. Independent contractors or agents used by the institution
for recruiting purposes shall be governed by the same principles as institutional
admissions officers and volunteers.
3. The following practices in student recruitment are
to be scrupulously avoided:
a. ensuring employment unless employment arrangements
have been made and can be verified;
b. misrepresenting job placement and employment opportunities
for graduates;
c. misrepresenting program costs;
d. misrepresenting abilities required to complete intended
program; and
e. offering to agencies or individual persons money or
inducements other than educational services of the institution in exchange
for student enrollment. (Except for awards of privately endowed restricted
funds, grants or scholarships are to be offered only on the basis of specific
criteria related to merit or financial need.)
C. Representation of Accredited Status
1. The term "accreditation" is to be used only when accredited
status is conferred by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for
Higher Education Accreditation and/or the U.S. Secretary of Education.
2. No statement should be made about possible future
accreditation status or qualification not yet conferred by the accrediting
body. Statements like the following are not permissible. "(Name of Institution)
has applied for candidacy with the Commission on Colleges of the Association;"
"The program is being evaluated by the National Association of , and it
is anticipated that accreditation will be granted in the near future."
3. Any reference to state approval should be limited to
a brief statement concerning the actual charter, incorporation, license,
or registration given.
4. The phrase "fully accredited" should be avoided, since
no partial accreditation is possible.
5. When accredited status is affirmed in institutional
catalogs and other official publications, it should be stated accurately
and fully in a comprehensive statement, including:
a. identifying the accrediting body as follows:
Commission on Colleges
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
11130 NE 33rd Place, Suite 120
Bellevue, Washington 98004
b. indicating the scope of accreditation as:
1) institutional (regional or national);
Example: The University of Southern Yukon is accredited
by the Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools and
Colleges, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for
Higher Education Accreditation and/or the U.S. Department of Education.
2) specialized (curriculum or unit accredited must be
specified):
Example: Programs in (Civil Engineering and Aeronautical
Engineering) are accredited by the Accrediting Board for Engineering and
Technology, a specialized accrediting board recognized by the Council for
Higher Education Accreditation and/or the U.S. Department of Education.
The Department of Music at the University of Hiawatha
is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, a specialized
accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
and/or the U.S. Department of Education.
Programs for the preparation of elementary, secondary,
and special education teachers at the bachelor's and master's level, for
the preparation of guidance counselors at the master's and specialist degree
level, and for school superintendents at the specialist and doctoral degree
level are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher
Education, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for
Higher Education Accreditation and/or the U.S. Department of Education.
6. The accredited status of a program should not be misrepresented.
The accreditation granted by an institutional accrediting body has reference
to the quality of the institution as a whole. Since institutional
accreditation does not imply specific accreditation of any particular program
in the institution, statements like "this program is accredited" or "this
degree is accredited" are incorrect and misleading.
7. If an institution in any way misrepresents its accredited
status in institutional publications, or in any other public statements,
the Commission will take the necessary steps to ensure that an appropriate
correction is made by the institution. In such cases, the Commission will
report the misrepresentation and the correction in the minutes of its meeting.
8. Institutions are not to quote from reports of evaluation
committees in their official publications, news releases, or other public
statements. In such cases, the Commission on Colleges will request that
the institution publish an appropriate retraction and the Commission's
action will be published in the minutes of its meeting.
Adopted 1983/Revised 1996
Supporting Documentation for Standard Three
Required:
1. Organization chart for student services.
2. Student handbook where applicable.
3. Summaries of student characteristics that will provide
a composite of the nature of the student body.
4. Student retention and rate of graduate data for the
last three years. NCAA Division I Schools are to include the most recent
NCAA graduation rate report.
5. Completed Table #1, Admissions Report.
6. Completed Table #2, Student Affairs Staff Profile.
7. Description of procedures for policy development including
the involvement of students.
Required Exhibits:
1. Policies and procedures on: student conduct, rights,
and responsibilities; student grievance process; academic honesty; athletics;
student fees; tuition refunds.
2. Statistics on student financial aid such as types and
amounts available, number, gender of students assisted in each of last
three years, default rate on loans, etc.
3. Most recent financial aid reviews conducted by state
and federal agencies.
4. NCAA Division I Schools are to include the most recent
graduation rate report.
5. A copy of the mission and goals of each unit.
6. Evidence of goal attainment of each unit.
7. Evidence of the impact of student services on students.
Suggested:
1. List of recognized student organizations.
2. Strategic plan for student services.
3. Constitution for student government.
4. Sample copies of student publications.
5. Institutional publications required by the Campus Security
Act, Drug Free Schools and Colleges Act, the Drug Free Workplace Act, and
the Student Right-to-Know Act.
6. Brief resumes of the professional staff in student
services.
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