Section 338.1753a. Accreditation standards; higher education institutions; adoption by reference.

a. (1) A higher education institution is considered approved by the board if it is accredited by the accrediting body of the region in which the institution is located and the accrediting body meets either the recognition standards and criteria of the council for higher education accreditation or the recognition procedures and criteria of the U.S. department of education. The board adopts by reference the procedures and criteria for recognizing accrediting agencies of the U. S. department of education, effective July 1, 2000, as contained in Title 34, Part 602 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and the policies and procedures for recognition of accrediting organizations of the council for higher education accreditation (chea), effective June 28, 2010. Copies of the standards and criteria of the council for higher education accreditation and the U.S. department of education are available for inspection and distribution at cost from the Board of Counseling, Bureau of Health Professions, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, 611 West Ottawa, P.O. Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909. The chea recognition standards may also be obtained at no cost from the council’s website at http://www.chea.org. The federal recognition criteria may also be obtained at no cost from website for the U.S. Department of Education            Office   of                                 Postsecondary    Education,     at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/OPE/index.html.

(2)    The board adopts by reference the standards of the following postsecondary accrediting organizations, which are available for inspection and distribution at cost from the Board of Counseling, Bureau of Health Professions, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, 611 West Ottawa, P.O. Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909. Copies of the following standards may be obtained from the individual accrediting organization at the identified cost:

(a)    The standards of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, set forth in the  document entitled "Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education: Eligibility Requirements and Standards for Accreditation,” 2009 edition, which is available free of charge on the association’s website at http://www.msche.org.

(b)   The standards of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, 209 Burlington Road, Bedford, MA 07130, in the document entitled "Standards for Accreditation,” 2005 edition, which is available at no cost on the association’s website at http://www.neasc.org.

(c)    The standards of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602, set forth in the document entitled “Handbook of Accreditation,” Third Edition, which is available for no cost on the association’s website http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.

(d)    The standards of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, 8060 165th Avenue NE, Suite 100, Redmond, WA 98052 set forth in the document entitled "Accreditation Handbook,” 2003 edition, updated June 23, 2008, and “Revised Accreditation Standards 2010” which are available at no cost on the association’s website at http://www.nwccu.org.

(e)     The standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033, set forth in the document entitled “Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement,” 2010 Edition, which is available at no cost on the association’s website at http://www.sacscoc.org.

(f)     The standards of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, set forth in the document entitled “Handbook of Accreditation,” October 2008, which is available at no cost on the commission’s website at http://www.wascsenior.org.

(g)      The standards of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, 10 Commercial Blvd., Suite 204, Novato, CA 94949 set forth in the document entitled "Accreditation Reference Handbook,” August 2009, which is available at no cost on the commission’s website at http://www.accjc.org.

History: 2012 AACS.