Before You Bash Accreditation, Consider the Alternatives

By JUDITH S. EATON

Through accreditation, colleges and universities undertake self-evaluation and peer review to ensure and improve their academic quality. The American accreditation system is more than a century old, and, in 2001 alone, 80 organizations accredited about 6,300 institutions and 17,500 programs. Not only do such institutions and programs rely on accreditation for self-improvement, but accreditation has become the primary means for students, federal and state governments, employers, and the