College of the Atlantic has been accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education...College of the Atlantic has been accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education continuously since 1976.

The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education is one of seven accrediting commissions in the United States that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Accreditation is voluntary and applies to the institution as a whole. The Commission, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, accredits approximately 240 institutions in the six-state New England region. A Commission team will visit COA from Sunday, Oct. 22 through Wednesday, Oct. 25.

College of the Atlantic has been accredited continuously by the Commission since 1976, and was last reviewed in 2007. Its accreditation by the New England Association encompasses the entire institution.

For the past year and a half, COA academic dean Ken Hill has led a team of staff and faculty in a self-study process, addressing the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation. The Commission’s evaluation team will gather evidence that the self-study is thorough and accurate when they visit in the fall. The team will recommend to the Commission a continuing status for the institution. Following a review process, the Commission itself will take the final action.

All members of the public are invited to submit written comments, by mail or email, regarding College of the Atlantic. The comments should consist of general remarks typically related to an individual’s experience or judgements about the quality of the College’s programs or services.

To send a comment via U.S. mail, write to: Public Comment on College of the Atlantic, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514

To send a comment electronically, email cihe@neasc.org.

Public Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution. The Commission cannot settle disputes between individuals and institutions, whether those involve faculty, students, administrators, or members of other groups. Comments will not be treated as confidential and must include the name, address, and telephone number of the person providing the comments. Comments should also include permission for the comment to be forwarded to President Collins.

Public Comments must be received by Wednesday, Oct. 25. The Commission cannot guarantee that comments received after this date will be considered.

More information about COA’s reaccreditation process, including the College’s 2007 self-study and the New England Association’s 2007 final report, may be found online at http://coa.edu/about/administration/accreditation/.