Cultivating Online Communities in Higher Education

Accreditation & Administration Resources for Online Learning

The following resources may be helpful for accreditation and effective administration of online learning within higher education settings.  

New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

• Standards for NECHE Accreditation
• 21st Century Distance Education Guidelines
  • Note: Developed by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHHEMS); these replace the 2009 C-RAC Interregional Guidelines.
     

Quality Matters Research

The Quality Matters online repository includes current academic research on effective learning. In addition, Quality Matters and Eduventures published an annual CHLOE report that surveys chief online officers. 
 

Online Learning Consortium's Administration of Online Programs Quality Scorecard 

The Online Learning Consortium's Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs provides benchmarks and standards that help institutions evaluate online learning efforts.

• The scorecard is available exclusively to Online Learning Consortium members; the University of New Hampshire holds an institutional membership with sign-up information available on the UNH Memberships research guide link.  
   

National Council for State Authorization (NC-SARA)

The US Department of Education requires that any institution offering distance education programs to students outside of its home state must acquire authorization from the states in which students reside. Regulations vary from state to state. 

• The University of New Hampshire has been approved by New Hampshire to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).