All institutions of higher education engage in the reaccreditation process as part of a normal and periodic review.  In order renew its accreditation status, Bates conducts an intensive self-study every ten years.  The major value of the self-study process is that it provides the College to opportunity to evaluate itself by its own standards and to set new goals and directions for the next decade.  The review offers the College the opportunity to demonstrate and document that it meets and exceeds certain minimum standards; it promotes a period of reflection about the institution's strengths and weaknesses; and it provides a way to validate the effectiveness of institutional planning and learning outcomes.  The self-study report describes what Bates does, appraises how well it accomplishes its goals, and makes projections about the future directions and needs of the College. The self-study is central to improving the quality of the College, and it will used as an integral part of the ongoing planning process.

Bates College is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Bates was initially accredited by NEASC in 1929 and its accreditation was last renewed in 1990.  The reaccreditation review begins during the 1999-2000 academic year with an extensive self-study that will involve many members of the Bates community.  The institutional self-study culminates with a multi-day site visit by a team of outside experts in November 2000.  NEASC uses the self-study and the observations of the visiting team as a basis for renewing accreditation status for another decade.  The report of the visiting team will add a fresh outside perspective on the extent to which the College succeeds in fulfilling its institutional mission.

Our institutional self-study report will address several topics of particular significance to Bates as well as each of the 11 standards of accreditation mandated by NEASC. For example, the self-study report will take into account many of the issues and priorities that have been established in the work of the Goals 2005 strategic planning process.

Your input is needed:

Bates solicits and welcomes input from alumni, friends, and other interested parties.  We are seeking public comments about any or all of the standards of accreditation.  You may send general comments or feedback about any of the accreditation standards to the Bates accreditation team through the comment links on this web site. You may also participate in a voluntary survey about Bates and its needs for the future. General questions about accreditation may also be addressed to either Jim Fergerson, Director of Institutional Planning and Analysis (jfergers@bates.edu), or to Dr. David Haines, Professor of Mathematics (dhaines@bates.edu).

Further details about the standards of accreditation are available in these pages and through the NEASC web site.

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