Call for Comment

Instructions

The Commission invites comments from member institutions, students, constituents, the accreditation community, and the public. Comments will be reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation prior to consideration of changes for adoption by the ABHE Delegate Assembly on February 12, 2026.

Priority consideration will be given to comments received by December 19, 2025. The Commission will consider comments after that date as the review schedule permits.

Thank you for your feedback. You are welcome to contact us at coa@abhe.org with any questions.

Form

To provide comment please complete the Call for Comment form.

Items for comment

In preparation for the February 2026 Commission meeting, the ABHE Commission on Accreditation (COA) is seeking public comment on three Accreditation Standards, three proposed new policies, and proposed changes to thirteen existing policies.

Standards Review

The COA typically reviews one or more Standards for Accreditation annually. This process involves an initial call for public comment on the Standards, consideration of comments received in proposing changes, a subsequent call for public comment on proposed changes, consideration of comments in revisions, and submission of proposed changes to the COA Delegate Assembly for discussion and vote.

Based on comments from an initial call for public comment in August/September 2025, the COA is proposing changes to three accreditation standards:

• Standard 2: Institutional/Program Planning and Assessment
• Standard 7: Academic Programs and Policies
• Standard 8: Learning Resources and Services

Comments will be reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation prior to consideration of adoption by the ABHE Delegate Assembly on February 12, 2026.

Policy Review

The COA process for policy review includes one public call for comment. For this cycle, the COA is seeking public comment on three new policies and proposed changes to thirteen existing policies:

1. NEW Policy on Correspondence Education
2. NEW Policy on Innovative Programs
3. NEW Principles of Accreditation/Policy on Spirit of Accreditation
4. Policy and Procedures for Educational Sites Geographically Separate from the Main Campus
5. Policy and Procedures for Programmatic Accreditation
6. Policy on Assignment of Primary and Secondary Readers
7. Policy on Certificate, Diplomas, and Associate Degree Programs
8. Policy on Competency-Based Education and Direct Assessment
9. Policy on Conflicts of Interest
10. Policy on General Studies
11. Policy on Institutional Advertising, Student Recruitment, and Representation of Accredited Status
12. Policy on Institutions Where the Primary Instructional Language is Other than English
13. Policy on Instructional Modalities
14. Policy on International Education Programs
15. Policy on Review of Standards
16. Procedures for Arbitration of Adverse Actions

The Commission invites comments on proposed new policies and policy changes. Comments will be reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation prior to consideration of adoption at its February 2026 meeting.