Preparation for and Participation in the Comprehensive Visit

Every accredited institution must have its status reaffirmed not later than five years after it has been initially granted, and not later than 10 years following each subsequent reaffirmation. Candidate status is continued by evaluations scheduled at least every two years during the candidacy period.

Evaluation may occur sooner if the organization introduces or plans changes that substantially alter its mission, functions, or character.

Initiating the Comprehensive Evaluation Process

Approximately two years before a scheduled comprehensive evaluation, the Commission sends a reminder to the institution’s chief executive officer. In response the CEO

Confirms that the institution will seek continued accreditation without changing any aspects of its status, or indicates that the comprehensive evaluation will include a request for change in that status
Proposes dates for the visit
Identifies the institution’s self-study coordinator(s)
Launches the development of the self-study design

One year before the visit, the Commission sends the CEO a second reminder. In response the CEO confirms the visit and indicates the competencies the institution would like to see represented in the members of the evaluation team.

Choosing the Dates for the Visit

Establishing the dates for the team’s visit early in the process enables the institution to develop a well-conceived self-study process, and enables the Commission to coordinate approximately two hundred evaluations that are conducted annually.

Budgeting for the Evaluation Process

The Commission’s Handbook of Accreditation has a detailed account of what an institution must budget for in Chapter 5.4.

The Commission has developed a cost estimator for comprehensive visits and focused visits based on the fee schedule for the fiscal year 2011–2012.

Preparing for the Visit

The organization best prepared for a team visit is the one that

Has conducted an effective self-study process
Has communicated effectively with the team and the Commission confirming expectations, unique aspects, and arrangements for the visit
Has prepared the total institutional community for the visit (see Third-Party Comment)
Has encouraged candid communication, realistic expectations, and open cooperation before and during the visit

Submitting Required Materials

At least eight weeks before the visit, the institution sends a copy of its self-study report, the last two annual financial audits, and the most current organizational catalog and faculty and student handbooks to the Commission.

Prior to accreditation-related reviews, the institution provides the peer reviewers and the Commission with a set of required materials. Beginning in Fall 2011, these materials must be submitted electronically in PDF format for the majority of evaluations.

Required Materials and Submission Procedures: PEAQ Comprehensive Visit

Appointing the Evaluation Team

The specific number of persons composing the evaluation team is determined by Commission policy. Typically, no fewer than four members serve on a team for a comprehensive visit.

Several months before the visit is to take place, the Commission proposes to the CEO a roster of consultant-evaluators to serve on the evaluation team. Information about each person’s current institutional affiliation and position, areas of professional expertise, and experience with the Commission accompany the roster. The institution then approves the team.

Attendinging to the Logistical Arrangements for the Visit

A comprehensive visit for continued accreditation normally lasts three days. The visit includes both an opening session and an Exit Session. The institution assumes responsibility for making hotel arrangements for the team members. The team will expect access to a resource room that might also include easy online access to virtual resources, with exhibits from the self-study report.

Team chairs may request scheduled appointments with key people, such as members of the governing board, representatives of the state coordinating board, faculty representatives, student representatives, or alumni and community leaders.

The Commission requires institutions undergoing a comprehensive evaluation to publish basic information about the visit to the campus community and invite the public to provide written comments to the Commission. These comments are shared with the team members.

Roles of the Team

The team evaluates the institution to ascertain the extent to which it fulfills the Criteria for Accreditation; it provides consultation relative to the ongoing improvement of the institution; and it recommends the affiliation status that the institution should have with the Commission.

Team Recommendation

The team’s recommendation at the Exit Session is preliminary and may be modified. The team’s recommendation serves as the reference for the ongoing accreditation review; it does not constitute the action of the Commission. The team visit is followed by a review process and Commission action.

Evaluating the Team

As part of its continuous improvement processes, the Commission invites institutions to evaluate the individual performance of the evaluation team members and the overall effectiveness of the team and the visit. The evaluation materials are used in the review of individual consultant-evaluators, in improving the Commission’s education and training programs, and in evaluating the general effectiveness of the overall evaluation process.

In-depth information on the comprehensive visit is available in the Handbook of Accreditation.

Disclaimer: The Handbook of Accreditation, Third Edition, was published in 2003. Readers should review the new and revised policies in addition to the Handbook to ensure the most up-to-date information is being used.