Rethinking Higher Education: Accreditation Reform

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), makes clear that, although the U.S. Department of Education (Department) has an important role to play in ensuring that all academically-ready students have the opportunity to attend the colleges of their choice, Congress has prohibited the Department from intervening in the curricular decisions of an institution and attempting to exert control over its faculty, administration, and academic programs. The Department of Education Organization Act affirms that: No provision of a program administered by the Secretary or by any other officer of the Department shall be construed to authorize the Secretary or any such officer to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any educational institution, school, or school system. Instead, Congress has assigned the role of overseeing the quality and academic sufficiency of instructional programs to accrediting agencies (accreditors).