Organizational Development

About AQIP
(Academic Quality Improvement Program)

NIACC participates in the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). AQIP is based on continuous quality improvement principles. Learn more about NIACC's AQIP process.

Programmatic Accreditation

Recognitions

Feedback

[ Link to NIACC Accreditation information on the HLC web Site ]

The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC) evaluation team unanimously recommended the maximum re-accreditation of ten years until the year 2013-2014, and the accreditation of online degree programs. [ read full article - 10/2003 ]

---

State Accreditation

Iowa’s state accreditation process for community colleges dovetails with the Higher Learning Commission’s AQIP and PEAQ accreditation processes, as well as the proposed path-way processes. State review teams utilize documentation from the HLC to determine whether HLC standards are met. Additional state standards, not evaluated by HLC, are reviewed through the state evaluation process.

Regardless of an institution’s HLC accreditation pathway or placement in the accreditation process, state evaluations will occur on a ten-year cycle with interim evaluations on the fifth year and comprehensive evaluations on the tenth year. NIACC is currently accredited with the Iowa Department of Education with the next comprehensive state accreditation evaluation scheduled for FY2016.
[Read the whole article]