Accreditation Conversations Weave Education

Accreditation in the U.S. is unique in many ways — one reason why understanding how it works across all the various levels is so important.


We spoke with André Foisy, Executive Director for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning Analytics at Excelsior University, regarding his time as a recent CHEA Fellow to get an inside look at how CHEA develops, initiates, and enforces various policies and requirements. Though CHEA is the accreditor of accreditors, institutions are also their members who they serve and support as well. According to André, embracing an anthropological lens to understanding the nuances of accreditation can help educational establishments better understand what accreditation means, how to achieve each standard, and how to best leverage accreditation for positive outcomes.


Join us as we discuss:
How institutional accreditation is interpreted, negotiated, and leveraged as a vital toolThe importance of Linda Suskie’s five dimensions of quality and the influence of these on André’s work with signals of qualityThe impact of AALHE on the assessment community

“Accreditation isn’t something we have to do. It’s something we should want to do as part of our mission to support students and provide them with a high-quality, high-value educational experience.” - Dr. Roberta Ross-Fisher


Yet this mindset can take a while to fully grasp. Dr. Roberta Ross-Fisher, higher education consultant of Global Educational Consulting, LLC, says many see accreditation as a carrot and a stick — accreditation is the stick and quality education is the carrot. But according to Dr. Ross-Fisher, this mindset is backwards. Accreditation is all carrot, no stick — fueled by pure intentions with students in mind. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t obstacles in the way. Fortunately, there are many thought leaders and colleagues actively advocating and working to break down barriers in the way of providing the best possible education across programs and institutions..


Join us as we discuss:
Recognizing and addressing current challenges in accreditationAccreditation as a vehicle for optimal collaborationPotential future directions of accreditation in higher education

Our host Dr. Amy Dykens sits down with Dr. Cynthia Jackson Hammond, a passionate advocate for academic quality and institutional autonomy in higher education. Dr. Jackson Hammond is a distinguished figure in the field with her extensive work in support of institutional autonomy as president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA is the only national organization in the United States focused exclusively on higher education accreditation and quality assurance, recognizing accrediting organizations and advocating for institutions.

They discuss the federal and state legislative impact on higher education and the significance of CHEA recognition on accreditation. Dr. Jackson Hammond highlights the future of higher education and accreditation including AI, DEI, and facilitating open discussion and safe harbors.

Join as we discuss:
The importance of institutional autonomyEnsuring academic quality and student successThe significance of engagement and advocacyCreating dialogue to encourage innovation

Read Dr. Jackson Hammond's full bio below!

Keep connected with us by subscribing to Accreditation Conversations on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Check out our website here.


Dr. Cynthia Jackson Hammond became Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) President on August 1, 2020.

Dr. Jackson Hammond, Ed.D. has been a member of the higher education community for more than 30 years. Her professional career has included tenured and administrative positions in universities throughout various regions of the United States: University of Louisiana Monroe, California State University Dominguez Hills; Delaware State University; University of North Carolina Charlotte, Winston-Salem State University; and Coppin State University. Most recently, Dr. Jackson Hammond completed her tenure as president of Central State University in Ohio.

Dr. Jackson Hammond has spent the majority of her career in higher education administration, serving as a president, provost, and dean, as well as a director of TRIO programs. She has served on national boards of directors, including the Thurgood Marshall College Fund; NCAA Division II Presidents Council; the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; and she also served on the Council for Higher Education Accreditation Board of Directors. She has appeared multiple times on Capitol Hill, including providing testimony on the status of 1890 Land-Grant institutions.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Grambling State University, her Master’s degree in Education and an Education Specialist degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and her Doctorate in Education in dual cognate areas, curriculum and instruction and student personnel services from Grambling State University.

Dr. Jackson Hammond serves on the Fulbright Council for International Exchange Scholars (CIES) Advisory Board, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) Council for...

We talk with Dr. David Eubanks, the assistant vice president at Furman University about the world of assessment, accreditation, and the pursuit of meaningful data in education. In his 20 year journey, David shares his realization that the standard accreditation formula for providing student learning assessment data was not working for him, leading to a realization it was not working for many others as well. He became a peer reviewer himself and embarked on a decade-long quest to find a solution that would bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Get ready for a thought-provoking episode advocating for new approaches to traditional methods and paving the way for innovation in assessment and accreditation.

Join us as we discuss the:
Complexities of assessment in educationLimitations of data analysisImportance of engagement and holistic problem-solving
Read Dr. Eubank's full bio below!

Keep connected with us by subscribing to Accreditation Conversations on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Check out our website here.

General education is a gateway to identity and becoming, a pathway to self-discovery and growth for students. However, gen ed courses have more frequently been viewed as checkboxes to quickly complete. But those who are passionate about and understand the long-term investment of gen ed, developing students into graduates who contribute back by going and making a difference in the world, are recommitting - working, partnering, and coming together.

Reforming gen ed to ensure students can see themselves in the curriculum and incorporating it into minor studies provides meaningful, transformative, life changing experiences. Dr. Stephen Biscotte, president of AGLS and assistant provost for undergraduate education at Virginia Tech, speaks with us about the importance of gen ed, its reform, and the impact it has on the educated future of our nation.

Join us as we discuss:
Transforming understanding of gen ed and accreditationDelivering on what’s important for studentsFinding passions and embracing transformation

Usually, when we think of education and accreditation, the stakes aren’t life and death.

But when it comes to paramedics, proper knowledge and training can mean the difference between a close call and a tragedy.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. George Hatch, Executive Director of the Committee on Accreditation for the EMS professions (CoAEMSP), about the fascinating story behind — and what the future holds for — the accreditation that’s helping save lives everyday.

Join us as we discuss:
A unique accreditor structureTransitioning from practitioner to accreditorImproving relationships as an accreditorThe ROI from involving stakeholders
See Dr. Hatch’s full bio below!

Keep connected with us by subscribing to Accreditation Conversations on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Check out our website here.


Dr. Hatch, a 45 year EMS veteran provider and professional educator, is the Executive Director of the largest Committee on Accreditation in the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) system with nearly 800 Paramedic programs in the nation and internationally. Providing oversight to the largest Board of Directors that represent the EMS profession (12 Sponsors), he was called upon to help manage the crisis of keeping the “educational pipeline” open and functioning throughout the COVID-19 crisis while supporting the accredited EMS education programs in the United States.

Serving in one of the largest community colleges in the country and responsible for educating the 3rd largest fire department in his role as Department Chairman and Program Director for over 2 decades, he’s learned a few lessons about what works in education. He holds an Educational Doctorate with a concentration in Curriculum-Instruction and Teaching from the University of Houston and is the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Houston College Of Education.