Role of Faculty in Higher Education - Essay Example

In a nutshell, this organization is responsible for accrediting the accreditors of higher education in the US. The national organization was established to take this responsibility after the academy performed its review of augmenting numbers of accreditors. This is generally referred to as self-regulation, as the academy is regulation itself (Myrick & Yonge, 2007). Nonetheless, accreditation of other accrediting bodies ends the reality of the academy regulation, which comprises the federal government accreditation of accrediting bodies via the department of Education.  In doing so, accountability is sought via reliance upon accreditation to evaluate individual programs and institutions in an almost boundless sea of “mission”. This accountability is largely sought via evaluation of literally various transactions (assessment of learning, costs, and jobs for graduates, graduation rates) which legislation, as well as regulations, requires for qualification as an accrediting body commendable of opening gates to benefit from government funding.

There are about 20 accrediting bodies responsible for the accreditation of institutions as well as 62 bodies responsible for the accreditation programs (such as in medicine, health professions, and law). The accrediting bodies are independent, non-governmental, as well as non-profit making organizations being funded mainly through annual subscriptions from programs and institutions. The accrediting organizations design minimum requirements, which should be satisfied to receive accreditation. Programs and institutions carry out self-studies based on the standards. They are then reviewed by peers within the profession and via visiting sites and team reports. The accrediting bodies make judgments that are standard referenced via their decision-making commissions leading to awarding or denying accreditation status. Programs and institutions undergo periodic reviews for maintaining the accredited status that is needed to access federal and state funds. However, it should be noted that not all organizations are regulated by CHEA.

Higher education and accreditation initiate, and drive change in the regulation equation by discovering ways to meet the demands of accountability while maintaining, to the greatest level possible, the ingredients it deems vital, namely, self-regulation, institutional autonomy, and academic freedom (Myrick & Yonge, 2007). This is visible in the action of a portion of individual colleges and universities' professional associations and consortia to develop learning program assessments or adoption of common assessment instruments such as the National Survey of Student Engagement and the Collegiate Learning Assessment. This is being enhanced by the requirement of transparency in the provision of information as a requirement of the regulation.

It is an autonomous accrediting agency that is contributing to the improvement of the health of the public. A professional/specialized, CCNE makes sure the quality, as well as integrity of graduate and baccalaureate degree nursing programs, is preserved (Bartels, 2007). Particularly, CCNE accredits baccalaureate degree level nursing programs, master’s degree level nursing programs, as well as clinical level nursing doctorates, which are practice-focused and are entitled the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The accrediting body also uses a separate accreditation standard set approves post-baccalaureate nurse residency schemes.

The body serves the interest of the public by assessing and recognizing programs, which take part in educational practices (Bartels, 2007). Being a self-regulatory, voluntary process, accreditation of CCNE supports as well as encourages ongoing self-assessment through nursing programs and supports ongoing growth and improvement of post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs and collegiate professional education. Since the accreditation process is a voluntary undertaking, institutions that seek CCNE accreditation of their graduate degree and baccalaureate nursing education programs or the post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs are perceived as having a cooperative relationship with the body in seeking ways of enhancing and improving the educational programs for the professional nursing students (Penn, et al., 2008).

The accrediting body has put in place a peer review process in line with nationally recognized standards set for the practice of accreditation within the United States territories. Being Accredited by CCNE sends out a good educational practice statement in the nursing field. Accreditation evaluations are meaningful to the program in that they serve as the basis for ongoing or formative self-assessment and for summative or periodic self-assessment via which the program, procedures, personnel, and services are improved (Penn, et al., 2008). The outcomes of such assessments become the basis for planning as well as the setting of priorities at the concerned institution.