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Review of Standards Policy (XXXIII)
TEAC strives for a culture of inquiry in its own activities as well
as the activities of its members and would see the periodic review
of all aspects of its standards, principles, intellectual underpinnings,
logic, and policies as the natural outgrowth the kind of culture
it seeks to create.
TEAC reviews its standards and policies periodically
and primarily in the following manner:
1. TEAC engages a third party to survey accredited program administrators,
students, faculty, and graduates, employers, and regulators on the
validity of TEAC’s standards.
2. The survey is administered once in a five-year
period so that TEAC’s standards will be reviewed at least
once during the period of a program’s accreditation status
(preaccreditation, new program, initial, and continuing) and before
any program’s reaccreditation.
3. The survey calls for a rating of each element
of the TEAC system (1.0
through 4.7) with respect to its continued contribution to the
assurance of program quality. The survey also calls for an open-ended
response to missing categories of information that would enhance
the assurance of program quality.
4. Standard survey research practices are followed
with regard to sampling and response rates to insure valid interpretation
of the results of the survey.
5. The Accreditation Committee reviews the results
of the survey for proposals, if appropriate, to modify the TEAC
standards, practices, and principles. If the Accreditation Committee
determines that modifications should be proposed, it initiates this
action as soon as possible, but in no event later than 12 months
after making this determination.
6. Draft revisions of the standards are reviewed
by the Inquiry Committees each member institution has formed, and
a focus group of representatives of accredited programs, regulators,
employers, students, and graduates. Third-party comment is also
called for in accordance with TEAC’s
Call-for-Comment Policy, XXXII.
7. The draft revisions in the TEAC system are presented
for discussion at TEAC’s Annual Meeting of the members.
TEAC’s Board of Directors, or its Executive
Committee, then decides whether to adopt the proposed changes in
the standards. The Board, or its Executive Committee, also considers
(1) comments on the value of the standards, made by the submitters
of Inquiry Briefs and Proposals (2) the analysis by Inquiry Committees
and TEAC staff of the literature on accreditation, (3) the members’
inquiry and research reports at the annual meetings, and (4) the
contributions of the senior staff to the scholarly literature on
standards and the evidence of standards. The Board of Directors,
or Executive Committee’s, action on the proposed revisions
will take place no later than twelve (12) months from the date of
the determination by the Accreditation Committee that changes to
the standards should be made. |
