Process & Guidelines
Accreditation Process and Guidelines
An Application can be submitted at any time. An applicant can voluntarily withdraw from the review process at any point.
The original of the completed application is sent to the Executive Director of the Accreditation Council. The application, including the application form, the profile data sheet and support documentation in appendices should be emailed and the Affirmation of Facts form and any required payment should be mailed in a manner (i.e. US Postal Service – Certified or Federal Express) that requires a signature upon receipt.
Applications will be reviewed by the Executive Director to ensure that the application is technically complete. If not complete, the applicant will be notified by email that there is a specific omission(s). An application for accreditation will not proceed until the applicant has submitted all required materials, including the Affirmation of Facts form and application fee. Once all the documentation and fees have been received, the application is sent to the review team by the Executive Director of the Accreditation Council.
Once an application is sent to the review team, the review team will work with the applicant to set up and complete a site visit. The review team will submit a report and recommendation to the Accreditation Council for Co-op and Internship to be decided upon through a vote of the Council Members. The accreditation process should take six months. The Accreditation Council has the sole authority to grant accreditation. Accreditation is granted for a six- year period. The accreditation period begins upon receipt of the notification of accreditation letter and extends to December 31 of the sixth year. An accreditation fee is charged.
Steps in the Accreditation Process
Step One: The applicant completes and submits and Accreditation Application which is essentially a self-study instrument.
Step Two: The ACCI Review Team (trained practitioners) visits the campus of the applicant.
Step Three: The Accreditation Council considers the ACCI Review Team’s recommendation and votes upon granting accreditation.
Eligibility Requirements
At the time of application, an applicant must meet the following criteria:
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The program must have been in continuous operation long enough to have graduated one class of students in the program.
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The program must be housed at a regionally accredited post-secondary institution.
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The application must be accompanied by a check or money order for the (non-refundable) application fee.
Program Self-Assessment
The application must be prepared according to instructions. Requested data must come from the academic year immediately prior to the Application’s submission. Information provided must be descriptive of procedures and policies in place at the time the Application is submitted. The completed application is sent to the Executive Director of the Accreditation Council as described above.
Accreditation Review Teams
Review teams consist of members as stated in the Bylaws of the Accreditation Council for Co-op and Internship. The leader of a review team shall be a member of the ACCI Council. Once a review team is formed and assigned, the applicant shall be notified and will begin to interact directly with the Review Team Leader. The Review Team Leader will be responsible for organizing and coordinating the team’s activities. This includes organizing the review of the application and accompanying documentation as well as contacting the applicant to make arrangements for the site visit. All reviews are to be conducted relative to the published criteria standards for accreditation. Should questions arise about the application, the Review Team Leader will contact the applicant for clarification and additional information. In addition, prior to or during the site visit, the Executive Director can be contacted for assistance either by the Review Team Leader or the applicant.
Appeals
An applicant may appeal an adverse decision of the Accreditation Council for Co-op and Internship if the applicant believes that the decision was based upon factual errors or an incorrect interpretation of the application. An applicant initiating an appeal will retain its current accreditation status until the appeal process is completed. An applicant who wishes to appeal must submit a written request for appellate hearing to the Executive Director within 30 days of notification of the adverse decision. The request must state the basis of the appeal, specifying how the decision was base upon erroneous fact or interpretation.
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