MONTANA BOARD OF REGENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
 Policy and Procedures Manual

SUBJECT:  ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Policy 320.1 - Accreditation
Effective April 2, 2003;  Issued April 8, 2004

Board policy: 

1. For purposes of 15-30-163 and 20-25-107 MCA the Board of Regents recognizes the following accrediting agencies:

a.     New England Association of Schools and Colleges

b.     Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

c.     North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

d.     Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

e.     Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

f.       Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Schools formally accepted as candidates for accreditation by any of the above agencies shall be treated as accredited for as long as they remain in that status.

For purposes of this policy "degree or such similar literary honors as are usually granted by universities and colleges" as used in 20-25-107 MCA means, associate degrees, baccalaureate and bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees and any degree which the grantor purports to be similar or equivalent regardless of how it is denominated.

Neither the Board of Regents nor the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education will independently evaluate a school for purposes of meeting the requirements of 15-3-163 MCA or 20-25-107 MCA. Accreditation by one of the above noted agencies is the exclusive method of recognition by the Board of Regents for purposes of those statutes.  

2. For purposes of 37-29-303 MCA the Board of Regents recognizes the following accrediting agencies.

a.     The accrediting agencies designated in section 1(a)-(f) above.

b.     Any accrediting agency approved and accepted by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation

3. This policy supplements, rather than displaces, Board Policy 320.3 (“Recognition; Canadian Public Institutions”).  For campuses and programs of the Montana University System and the Montana community colleges the provisions of Board Policy 320.2 (“Accreditation; Montana University System units and community colleges”) are applicable.

History: 

               Item 110-105-R0301, Accreditation (New), approved by the Board of Regents on May 17, 2001 as revised by Item 118-104-R0103, approved by the Board of Regents on April 2, 2003; editorial change made April 8, 2004, to change the name "Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges" to "Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities."