In its final report summary, NIACC was noted for being “committed to supporting the success of its stakeholders. The College exhibits evidence of its commitment to high performance, AQIP principles, and continuous quality improvement.”
Every seven years, AQIP reviews the accredited status of participating institutions. In September 2014, NIACC underwent a comprehensive onsite visit. A Commission-trained AQIP Review team examines each organization’s current HLC-submitted reports, federal compliance reports, and other interactions with AQIP and the Commission to ensure that both the institution and AQIP know how the evidence meets and supports the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation. Institutions are evaluated against five criteria:
· Institutional Mission
· Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct
· Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support
· Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement
· Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness
NIACC President Steve Schulz remarked, “NIACC has been recognized nationally for being a strong academic institution and the accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission is another indicator of the quality work that has been done at NIACC throughout our 96-year history. The accreditation procedure is labor intensive, and I would like to thank all of our faculty and staff who contributed to this process over the last ten years and for the good work they do each day for our students.”
Further stated in the final report, the AQIP Review Panel on Reaffirmation cited, “North Iowa Area Community College has a rich history of nearly a century of academic excellence.”
The Higher Learning Commission accredits degree-granting, post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States. The commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and accredits approximately 1,100 institutions of higher education in a 19-state region. NIACC has been accredited by the HLC (formerly just the North Central Association) since 1919.
