Perceptions of University Faculty Regarding Accreditation in a College of Education

This study was designed to examine tenured faculty perceptions of accreditation. This qualitative study utilized interviews and document analysis to gather the perspective of faculty in a college of education. While there are quantitative and qualitative studies that have addressed accreditation and faculty, the extant literature lacked the perceptions of faculty involved in the accreditation process. This qualitative study offers an in-depth analysis of the perceptions of faculty particularly tenured faculty in a college of education regarding accreditation. The inclusion criteria for faculty were: experience in higher education for a minimum of 10 years, involved in curriculum development, and tenured. The study included a total of 11 participants. The interview questions focused on experience with accreditation, impact of accreditation on curriculum, and faculty roles and rewards. A theme analysis was completed utilizing the interview transcriptions along with document analysis based on the research questions. Time emerged as a major theme throughout the interview questions. The sacrifice of ones’ own scholarship, hours spent aligning syllabi with standards, and/or coordination associated with the accreditation process were all referenced during the interviews. Additional themes such as accreditation serving as recognition and utilized for advertising purposes emerged as well. Implications and recommendations for administrators, faculty, and accrediting offices within universities or colleges are discussed