Welcome to the University of New England’s NEASC Re-Accreditation website
Welcome to the University of New England’s NEASC Re-Accreditation website.
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC CIHE) is the regional accrediting agency for over 200 colleges and universities, including the University of New England, in the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. NEASC is the nation’s oldest regional accrediting association whose mission is the establishment and maintenance of high levels of education, from pre-kindergarten through the higher education doctoral level.
Accreditation is the review of the quality of educational institutions and programs. In the United States, accreditation is a major way that students, families, government officials, the press, and the public know that an institution or program provides a high quality education. Generally, these reviews occur every ten years.
NEASC provides eleven Standards for Accreditation that guide the preparation of the institutional self-study report. This self-study report is important because:
- Employers often ask if a college, university or program is accredited before deciding to provide tuition assistance to current employees, evaluating the credentials of employment applicants, or making a charitable contribution.
- The federal government requires that a college, university, or program be accredited in order to be eligible for federal grants, loans, or other federal funds, including research funds.
- State governments require that a college, university, or program be accredited when they make state funds available to students or institutions, and when they allow students to sit for state licensure examinations in many professional fields.
The University of New England has been successfully reaccredited by NEASC and will complete its next comprehensive evaluation in 2017.
In its final report, NEASC commended the University of New England for "the high quality of its academic programs and its student-centered culture, evidenced by the dedication of faculty and student services personnel." The NEASC visitors went on to say that "Under the leadership of a new president and with the support of a committed Board of Trustees, the University seems well positioned to meet the goals it has established for future growth and development."