NECHE Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions

The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is a non-profit, non-governmental membership organization. It relies on its members’ self-regulation, voluntary compliance with the standards for accreditation and a system of ongoing evaluation by peers. The commission’s goal is to promote institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.  In applying the standards, the commission assesses the effectiveness of the institution as a whole.

NECHE was previously part of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC); in 2018 NECHE (dedicated to postsecondary education) became a separate entity.

Per NECHE, accreditation is a status that provides assurance to prospective students, their families and the general public that an institution meets clearly stated standards for accreditation and that there are reasonable grounds to believe the institution will continue to meet those standards in the future.

• Being accredited by NECHE confirms good standing and guarantees quality in the education and opportunities we provide at RISD.
• Accreditation ensures students the ability to transfer credit from one institution to another. Additionally, some graduate programs only accept students with degrees from accredited schools.
• The federal government requires that an institution be accredited to be eligible for federal grants and loans or other federal funds. Therefore, an institution must be accredited for students to receive federal grants and loans.
• It is usually required that an institution be accredited for an employer to provide tuition assistance to current employees.
• Employers also usually look for degrees from accredited institutions when evaluating the credentials of potential and new employees. Lastly, employers may require an institution to be accredited for them to make a charitable contribution to the institution.

Per NECHE, in the US schools and colleges voluntarily seek accreditation from nongovernmental bodies. There are two types of educational accreditation: institutional and specialized (or programmatic).

Institutional accreditation is provided by regional and national associations. There are seven regional associations. The regional associations are independent of one another, but they cooperate extensively and acknowledge one another’s accreditation. Several national associations focus on particular kinds of institutions (for example, technical or religious colleges). An institutional accrediting agency evaluates the institution as a whole, applying the standards in light of the institution’s mission. Beside assessing educational programs, it evaluates areas such as governance and administration, financial stability, physical resources, library and technology, admissions and student services. Institutional accreditation encompasses the entire institution.

Specialized or programmatic accreditation evaluates particular schools or programs within an institution. Specialized accreditation is often associated with national professional associations such as those for engineering, medicine and law, or with specific disciplines such as business, teacher education and nursing.

Yes, there are three programs that have specialized accreditation:

• Architecture: National Architectural Accrediting Board (last done in 2023)
• Landscape Architecture: Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (2022)
• Master of Arts in Art + Design Education: RI Department of Education (2019)

1. Mission and purposes  
2. Planning and evaluation
3. Organization and governance
4. The academic program
5. Students
6. Teaching, learning, and scholarship
7. Institutional resources
8. Educational effectiveness
9. Integrity, transparency, and public disclosure

Each standard has multiple parts to it. The number of parts or substandards range from 5 (for Standard 1) to 49 (for Standard 4). Some standards have groups of the substandards.

NECHE maintains a database of more than 1,500 experienced senior educators, from all types of accredited colleges and universities, who have volunteered for this work. They are carefully selected and trained to evaluate institutions according to the standards for accreditation.

The last comprehensive evaluation and accreditation was in 2016. NECHE also requires interim reports to be submitted five years after a comprehensive evaluation; RISD submitted its most recent interim report in 2021.

Per NECHE, the Commission requires institutions to undergo a comprehensive evaluation at least every ten years. The comprehensive evaluation process has three components:

1. an institutional self-study, in which the institution evaluates how and how well it meets the commission’s standards for accreditation;
2. an on-site evaluation by a group of peers;
3. a review and decision by the commission.

The report will be submitted to NECHE in January/February 2026.

Per NECHE, self-study is at the heart of accreditation. Both a product and a process, effective self-study serves accreditation’s dual purposes: quality assurance and institutional improvement. The self-study presents a concise picture of the institution as a dynamic entity with a sense of its history, an understanding of its present and a vision of its future. By clearly identifying strengths and challenges, the institution demonstrates its ability to use analysis for improvement.

The submission in January/February 2026 will include the self-study report (limit of 100 pages), Data First forms, E-series forms and extensive supporting documentation.

The self-study is a process during which faculty and staff take a very close look at the entire college, documenting its strengths and its challenges in a written report.

Before the writing begins, members of work groups gather information (from people and documents), review data and review important documents. The self-study is a unique opportunity for the college to take stock of itself—noting and celebrating its successes and uncovering areas for continued improvement. Most of the work gathering information and documents to demonstrate compliance will be done in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, with the self-study report and supporting documentation finalized in the following months.

Yes, all aspects of the college are represented in the self-study. This accreditation process is for the entire Rhode Island School of Design.  

Even if you are not in a work group, you might be asked for information or support. Everyone should be ready to be involved in the self-study.

A team of evaluators consisting of faculty and administrators from similar institutions will review the self-study report and the supporting documents. This team will then conduct an on-site visit in March 2026. During the visit, the visiting team will meet with, and interview, stakeholders from across the college—students, faculty and staff. The team may also request additional documentation during the onsite visit.

The visiting team will make recommendations to the commission. We will expect the final report from the commission within 4-6 months of the site visit in March 2026.

Send any questions to accred26@risd.edu