ACEN Commission Actions – October 2017

Notification of Commission Actions
October 2017

The following publicly available information is provided by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) concerning the accreditation status of the following programs reviewed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners during its meeting on October 27, 2017. Commission staff will not speculate on what decision might be made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners the next time a program is reviewed. For additional information regarding ACEN accreditation process, access the Accreditation Manual at http://www.acenursing.org/accreditation-manual 

Access the ACEN 2013 Standards and Criteria by program type:

Access the ACEN 2017 Standards and Criteria by program type:

Continuing Accreditation Actions


Additional InformationAffirm Continuing Accreditation

The Commission affirmed continuing accreditation after a focused visit to the following programs:

  • Casper College (Associate) Casper, WY
  • Central Wyoming College (Associate) Riverton, WY
  • Elgin Community College (Associate) Elgin, IL
  • Francis Marion University (Master’s) Florence, SC
  • Laramie County Community College (Associate) Cheyenne, WY
  • Neosho County Community College (Associate) Ottawa, KS
  • Northwest College (Associate) Powell, WY
  • Regis College (Baccalaureate) Weston, MA
  • Regis College (Master’s) Weston, MA
  • Vincennes University (Baccalaureate) Vincennes, IN
  • Weber State University (Master’s) Ogden, UT
  • Western Nevada College (Associate) Carson City, NV
  • Western Wyoming Community College (Associate) Rock Springs, WY

Additional InformationAffirm Continuing Accreditation, Change Status to Continuing Accreditation with Conditions

The Commission affirmed the continuing accreditation and changed the accreditation status to continuing accreditation with conditions after a focused visit to the following program:

  • Bishop State Community College (Associate) Mobile, AL related to non-compliance with:
    • Standard 4 Curriculum, Criteria 4.1, 4.2, and 4.7
      • There is a lack of evidence that the curriculum has clearly articulated end-of-program student learning outcomes.
      • There is a lack of evidence that the end-of-program student learning outcomes are used to organize the curriculum, guide the delivery of instruction, and direct learning activities.
      • There is a lack of evidence that evaluation methodologies measure the achievement of the end-of-program student learning outcomes.
  • Bishop State Community College (Practical) Mobile, AL related to non-compliance with:
    • Standard 4 Curriculum, Criteria 4.1, 4.2, and 4.7
      • There is a lack of evidence that the curriculum has clearly articulated end-of-program student learning outcomes.
      • There is a lack of evidence that the end-of-program student learning outcomes are used to organize the curriculum, guide the delivery of instruction, and direct learning activities.
      • There is a lack of evidence that evaluation methodologies measure the achievement of the end-of-program student learning outcomes.

Additional InformationAffirm Continuing Accreditation, Change Status to Continuing Accreditation with Warning

The Commission affirmed the continuing accreditation and changed the accreditation status to continuing accreditation with warning after a focused visit to the following programs.

  • None

Additional InformationAffirm Continuing Accreditation, Change Status to Continuing Accreditation for Good Cause

The Commission changed the accreditation status to continuing accreditation for good cause after a focused visit to the following programs:

  • None

Adverse Actions

Any program denied initial or continuing accreditation has the right to forward comments regarding the Commission decision to the ACEN by December 16, 2017. The ACEN will forward to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education any comments submitted by the nursing program.


Additional InformationDeny Initial Accreditation

The Commission denied initial accreditation to the following program:

  • None

Additional InformationDeny Continuing Accreditation

The Commission denied continuing accreditation to the following program

  • None


Definitions


Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with all Accreditation Standards.

Continuing Accreditation with Conditions: A measure imposed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners following the determination of non-compliance with one (1) or two (2) Accreditation Standards. Next review and follow-up action(s) are determined by the Board of Commissioners.

Continuing Accreditation with Warning: A measure imposed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners following the determination of non-compliance with three (3) or more Accreditation Standards. Next review and follow-up action(s) are determined by the Board of Commissioners.

Continuing Accreditation for Good Cause: A measure imposed by the ACEN Board of Commissioners following the determination that a nursing program has not remedied deficiencies at the conclusion of its maximum monitoring period and the program has (a) has demonstrated significant recent accomplishments in addressing ; (b) has documented that it has the potential to remedy all deficiencies within the extended period as defined by the Commission; that is, that the program provides evidence which makes it reasonable for the Commission to determine it will remedy all deficiencies within the extended time defined by the Commission; and (c) provides assurance to the Commission that it is not aware of any other reasons, other than those identified by the Commission, why the nursing program could not be continued for good cause.

Denied Initial Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in non-compliance with one or more Accreditation Standard.

Denied Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program on conditions, warning, or for good cause is found to be in continued non-compliance with any Accreditation Standard. Thereafter the nursing program is removed from the listings of accredited programs.

Focused Visit: A site visit authorized by the ACEN Board of Commissioners to review significant accreditation-related information disclosed about a program as a result of:

A substantive change;

Information revealed about a program between periods of scheduled review;

Information received from the governing organization’s accrediting body related to an adverse action;

Information received from the program’s state regulatory agency for nursing related to a change in its status;

Information revealed by a program during the Evaluation Review Panel process;

Information received from the U.S. Department of Education regarding a program’s compliance responsibilities under Title IV of the Higher Education Act such as information related to a program’s most recent student loan default rates, the results of financial or compliance audits, program reviews, and any other information that may be provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Follow-up Report: A report prepared by a program addressing the Standard(s) for which the nursing program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Initial Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with all Accreditation Standards.

Remove the Conditions Status and Grant Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with the Accreditation Standard(s) that the program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Remove the For Good Cause Status and Grant Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with the Accreditation Standards that the program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Remove the Warning Status and Grant Continuing Accreditation: A determination by the ACEN Board of Commissioners that a nursing program is in compliance with the Accreditation Standard(s) that the program was found to be in non-compliance during the program’s previous review by the ACEN Board of Commissioners.

Standard:
See ACEN 2013 Standards and Criteria
Clinical Doctorate/DNP Specialist Certificate
Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate
Baccalaureate
Associate
Diploma
Practical
See ACEN 2017 Standards and Criteria
Clinical Doctorate
Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate/DNP Specialist Certificate
Baccalaureate
Associate
Diploma
Practical

Substantive Change Report: A report submitted by an accredited program informing the ACEN of a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of a nursing program and/or nursing education unit.