Faculty Engagement in the Accreditation Process Issue - October 2025

Accreditation can sometimes be viewed as an external requirement — a process that occurs once every several years and lives in binders, spreadsheets, and committee reports. In our nursing programs at Herzing University, we have shifted that viewpoint entirely. For us, accreditation is a living process that drives collaboration, professional growth, and continuous quality improvement every day.

Our commitment to faculty engagement has transformed accreditation from a compliance task into a catalyst for innovation. By investing in leadership development, dedicating intentional time to annual retreats, and embedding accreditation conversations into monthly faculty meetings, we have built a culture where every faculty member understands their role in meeting the ACEN Standards — and, more importantly, in advancing student success.

One of the most transformative steps we have taken is encouraging faculty to participate in the accreditation process beyond our campus. I, as the Nurse Administrator, along with two of our full-time faculty members, became ACEN peer reviewers.

Serving as peer reviewers gave us a unique perspective: seeing how other programs apply the Standards, identifying best practices, and recognizing familiar challenges. This firsthand experience deepened our understanding of the rigor and objectivity of the process. When we brought those insights back to our faculty, accreditation became less abstract and more tangible.

Faculty who had once seen accreditation as an administrative responsibility now view it as a shared professional obligation — one that empowers them to contribute meaningfully to the program’s direction and improvement.

Our annual nursing faculty retreat is a cornerstone of engagement, designed to foster connection, collaboration, and alignment with the ACEN Standards. Each retreat focuses on reviewing and updating our Systematic Plan of Evaluation (SPE) and taking a deep dive into one Standard.

This year’s retreat held April 24, 2025, centered on Standard 2: Faculty and Staff — the foundation of program quality. This standard focuses on faculty qualifications, professional development, and contributions to student success.

Highlights from the 2025 retreat included:

• ACEN Accreditation Refresher – “Why It Matters” to strengthen faculty understanding of how the Standards connect to our daily work.
• A Data Deep Dive into NCLEX pass rates, program completion, and job placement trends, using evidence to identify improvement priorities.
• The “If I Were Nursing Program Chair for a Day…” activity, which encouraged faculty to think like academic leaders and propose innovative program or policy changes.
• A Standard 2 Work Session to finalize narrative assignments for our self-study, ensure credential files met requirements, and plan mentorship strategies for new faculty.
• SPE & EPSLO #2 Analysis (Accurate Assessments & Interventions) to evaluate alignment and strengthen assessment practices.
• Peer Sharing During Lunch on “What’s working in my classroom or clinical this term,” providing practical strategies for immediate use.

This blend of compliance-focused work and interactive activities left faculty with a deeper sense of ownership, strengthened professional relationships, and clear action items for advancing both accreditation readiness and teaching excellence.

Our retreats spark momentum, but our monthly faculty meetings sustain it. Each meeting includes a standing agenda item dedicated to program outcomes, grounded in our SPE.

Discussions cover:

• NCLEX readiness and pass rate trends
• Course and clinical evaluation data
• Student satisfaction and retention metrics
• Progress toward action plans tied to specific Standards

This practice keeps accreditation at the forefront year-round. It prevents the last-minute “scramble” before a self-study and reinforces the mindset that continuous quality improvement is part of our everyday work.

Our approach to engagement has produced measurable and cultural benefits:

• Enhanced Collaboration: Faculty work together across courses, campuses, and modalities to address instructional gaps and strengthen consistency.
• Faculty Development: Retreats focused on Standard 2 have resulted in stronger onboarding processes, expanded mentorship, and targeted professional development such as NGN item writing and simulation training.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Faculty are more confident in analyzing program data and translating findings into actionable strategies.
• Improved Student Outcomes: Early intervention strategies, consistent NCLEX preparation, and aligned teaching practices have supported higher readiness scores and improved pass rates.

While our initiatives are faculty-centered, the real beneficiaries are our students. Accreditation-driven improvements have created more consistent learning experiences, clearer expectations, and stronger connections between theory and practice.

One recent graduate noted, “Our instructors work together like a team. Whether it is lecture, lab, or clinical, we always know what’s expected and feel supported.” That sense of alignment and support is a direct result of our faculty’s engagement in the accreditation process.

At Herzing University, we view accreditation as a shared commitment, not a compliance checklist. By connecting faculty to serve as ACEN peer reviewers, dedicating time for retreats that connect our work to the Standards, and embedding outcome-based discussions into monthly meetings, we have built a culture where accreditation is everyone’s responsibility.

The result is a stronger faculty team, a more intentional curriculum, and better outcomes for our students. Accreditation is no longer something we prepare for every few years — it’s something we live every day.

Reference:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Standards and Criteria. https://www.acenursing.org/standards-and-criteria/

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