Sanctions

The ABHE Commission on Accreditation may place a candidate or accredited institution or institution holding programmatic accreditation on sanction if it is determined that the institution is out of compliance or at risk of being found out of compliance with one or more Institutional or Programmatic Standards for Accreditation. Negative actions may be imposed in an incremental fashion; however, the Commission may immediately impose a sanction of probation or show cause where the severity of circumstances warrants. Likewise, the Commission may take immediate adverse action to withdraw accreditation, candidate status, or applicant status without prior sanction where the severity of circumstances warrants.

Warning

Warning is a negative, public action indicating that the Commission has determined that an institution is in substantial compliance with ABHE standards, but meets one or more standards with sufficient weakness that, if the current trend is not altered, the institution is in jeopardy of being found out of compliance with a standard in the near future and placed on probation. The institution retains accredited or candidate status with ABHE during a period of warning, and will be subject to periodic monitoring, which may include progress reports and/or focused visits by Commission staff or evaluation teams. If weaknesses are not resolved within the time specified (usually one year), the Commission may (1) extend the warning for a second year, (2) place the institution on probation, (3) order the institution to show cause why its accreditation or candidate status should be continued, or (4) withdraw accreditation or candidate status. Warning is rarely extended beyond two years. Rather, an institution that fails to strengthen specified weaknesses by a stated Commission deadline is placed on probation. Warning is not an appealable action.

Probation

Probation is a negative, public action indicating that the Commission has determined that the institution no longer complies with one or more of the Standards for Accreditation. The institution retains accredited or candidate status with ABHE during a period of probation, and will be subject to periodic monitoring, which may include progress reports and/or focused visits by Commission staff or evaluation teams. The institution will be required to submit a teach-out plan in accord with specifications in the Policy on Teach-Out Plans and Teach-Out Agreements within 60 days of the notice informing it of probation status. Placement on probation may be appealed in accordance with the Policy and Procedures for Appeals. Notification of an appealable action will not be released until appeal options have been exhausted and the action is final.

Should the institution fail to correct the identified deficiencies within two years, the Commission must take adverse action against the institution and remove its accreditation or candidate status. Where there is sufficient progress, the Commission may grant a one-year extension of accreditation or candidate status for “good cause” to allow the institution to demonstrate substantial compliance with the Standards for Accreditation. An institution on probation and/or show cause for two years cannot be returned to warning.

Show Cause Order

A show cause order is a negative, public action indicating that an institution’s accredited or candidate status will be withdrawn unless it can provide persuasive evidence that such action should not be taken. The time allowed to provide this persuasive evidence is not to exceed one year. A teach-out plan, approved by the Substantive Change Officer or the Commission, is required for institutions placed on show cause. The institution will be required to submit a teach-out plan in accord with specifications in the Policy on Teach-Out Plans and Teach-Out Agreements within 60 days of the notice informing it of the show cause order.

In cases where an institution has been on probation for two years, but has failed to correct its deficiencies, a show cause order can only be issued for good cause. In the absence of good cause, the Commission is required by federal regulations to remove an institution’s status with the Commission. The rationale for good cause must be substantive and defensible. A show cause order may be appealed in accordance with the Policy and Procedures for Appeals.

Termination of Accredited or Candidate Status

Termination of Accredited or Candidate Status is a negative, public action indicating that an institution’s or program’s accredited or candidate status has been withdrawn due to non-compliance with one or more ABHE Standards for Accreditation. Termination of accredited or candidate status may be appealed in accordance with the Policy and Procedures for Appeals.

Denial of Initial Accreditation or Candidate Status

Denial of initial accreditation or candidate status is a negative, public action indicating that a candidate institution or program seeking accreditation has been denied accreditation status or an applicant institution or program has been denied candidate status. Denial of initial accreditation is most often the result of a candidate institution not achieving substantial compliance with the ABHE Standards for Accreditation within the maximum five years from the granting of candidate status and the maximum deadline for achieving initial accreditation. Denial of candidate status is most often the result of an applicant institution not achieving substantial progress toward accreditation within the maximum five years from the granting of applicant status and the maximum deadline for achieving candidate status.

Denial of initial accreditation or candidate status may be appealed in accordance with the Policy and Procedures for Appeals.

Related links

• Standards and Policies Manual