The Board of Commissioners of the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences, Inc. is holding its eighth Community Call for Comment, inspired by the rulemaking procedures used by the United States Department of Education, to hear from its constituencies on several issues.
The 2014 Community Call for Comment will take place on Monday February 3, 2014 at Paradise Point, 1404 Vacation Road, San Diego, CA. Click here to download the full 2014 Community Call for Comment invitation.
· If you are interested in being a panelist or alternate representing one of NACCAS’ many constituencies, please fill out and submit the application form on page 4 by January 6, 2014. (Please note that there is limited seating. You will be notified by C.O.B. January 8, 2014 if you are selected to participate.)
· If you plan to attend, but not as a representative, please submit the application form on page 5 by January 6, 2014. There will be “open mike” opportunities for the public. (Please note that there is limited seating. You will be notified by C.O.B. January 8, 2014 if you are selected to attend.)
· Travel and hotel arrangements and expenses related to attendance are the responsibility of each person who attends.
The topics of special interest to the Commission are listed below. Material on the topics will be disseminated prior to the meeting, if applicable. (Topics subject to change.)
1. In order for NACCAS to ensure that it’s Accredited Institutions understand the newest Standards and Criterion and their most common limitations cited (Annual Report requirements, Surveys, SAP, Grading etc.), Institutions will be required to attend another workshop, or some other form of educational media, at the midpoint of their current Accreditation cycle. What are some of the ways (webinars, pocket seminars, workshops, etc) in which this requirement can be met?
2. One of NACCAS’ responsibilities as an Accreditor is to stay abreast of local, state or national trends and needs. In order to ensure student learning outcomes and success from the student loan default prospective, NACCAS is reviewing ways to gradually increase its outcomes rates for completion and placement over time. NACCAS is looking to hear how and when it should implement these new rates?
3. As many of you are aware, it is becoming increasing more important for all of our institutions to be as clear and transparent as possible about its student outcomes (graduation, licensure, and placement) rates. NACCAS is an Institutional Accreditor, which means that we presently require all Main Institutions, and any of its Additional Location Institutions, to provide student outcomes as one “combined” Institution. However, what would be the value if NACCAS decided to go above and beyond their present requirement and require each individual institution to declare its own specific student outcomes rates?
4. As a post secondary institution that is accredited by NACCAS, it is your primary role to provide your students with the necessary education, skills and tools to graduate, get licensed, in many cases, and get a job in a field for which their training prepared them for. NACCAS is examining whether or not we should accept student outcomes rates from its accredited institutions on students who were not licensed / placed, by even a shorter period of time then presently required after graduation. As well as, should NACCAS include a minimum time that the student should stay placed, in order to be counted on the NACCAS annual report?
5. Student outcomes are becoming increasing difficult for any of our Institutions to verify. Additionally, we understand that many of your students are feeling that their privacy is being invaded when any of our Institutions, or NACCAS, calls their employer. NACCAS is studying the possibility of requiring all Institutions to have their outcomes certified by an independent 3rd party; such as their auditor or some other qualified reputable private company specialized in certifying student outcomes. As NACCAS investigates this possibility, what are the factors it should consider?
6. In an effort to continue providing superior efficiency, in 2014 NACCAS will begin requiring all Institution’s submitting correspondence, such as applications, financials, annual report, ISS, team visits, limitation responses, etc. to be filed electronically. Given the difficulties /challenges that many of our institutions may face, what are some of the hitches that you anticipate encountering?
Your recommendations for other topics may be added, time permitting. Please submit them to amirando@naccas.org.
