Frequently Asked Questions
What is NCA Accreditation?
NCA Accreditation is a process whereby a higher education institution engages in comprehensive self-study. The self-study process involves applying quality indicators developed specifically for higher education institutions to help them evaluate their strengths and challenges. St. Clair County Community College (SC4) is proud of its long and rich history with NCA Accreditation dating back to 1923. Yet, this history does not mean that we can take our accreditation status for granted. Beginning in January 2005, a set of new NCA criteria was introduced providing a new challenge for our campus.
Why is accreditation important?
Accreditation has two fundamental purposes: a commitment to quality assurance and ongoing institutional and program improvement. The status of accreditation also means:
- excellence in education
- high quality
- commitment to standards
- accountability
What is the self-study process?
The self-study process typically takes two years to complete. It requires a strong self-evaluation by the institution that results in a report submitted to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the NCA. At the end of the process, a team of peer reviewers from different institutions across the nation will conduct a three-day visit on our campus. They will evaluate and affirm the quality of our institution, using the NCA criteria as the foundation for their evaluation. The peer reviewers will provide information intended to help improve the quality of our education and services.
What approach is SC4 taking to complete our self-study? Top
To ensure that our self-study is comprehensive and includes all voices on campus, a committee structure was developed to address different core components of the NCA Criteria for Accreditation. Committee members include faculty, staff, and administrators from all units on campus.
Committees will conduct in-depth research and data collection on specific core components in their area. A draft report from each committee will be submitted to the steering committee for additional review and comment. A final report will be submitted to the NCA co-chairs, who will then draft our self-study report. The final report will be submitted to the HLC six weeks before the campus visit.
What are the goals for our self-study?
The NCA Self-Study will:
- Involve as many members of the College community as possible
- Conduct the self-study in an orderly and timely fashion
- Examine overall institutional effectiveness
- Identify the College’s strengths, concerns, and challenges
- Provide a model for going forward with continuous improvement
- Provide a report for peers and the community
What is our timeline? Top
| Spring 2005 | Organization and planning |
| Summer 2005 | Planning and data organization |
| Fall 2005 | Committee research and data collection |
| Spring 2006 | Committee draft reports disseminated for comment |
| Summer 2006 | Draft of self-study report |
| Winter / Early Spring 2007 | Self-study report submitted to HLC |
| Spring 2007 | Campus visit |
