Five Dimensions of Quality

Five Dimensions of Quality: A Common Sense Guide to Accreditation and Accountability

Meet calls for increased quality and understand accreditation expectations

Author Linda Suskie is internationally recognized for her work in higher education assessment, and she is a former vice president of a major regional accreditor. In Five Dimensions of Quality: A Common Sense Guide to Accreditation and Accountability in Higher Education she provides a simple, straightforward model for understanding and meeting the calls for increased quality in higher education ever-present in today’s culture. Whether your institution is seeking accreditation or not, the five dimensions she outlines will help you to identify ways to improve institutional quality and demonstrate that quality to constituents.

For those wading through the accreditation process, which has become more difficult in recent years due to increasing regulation and pressure for greater accountability, Suskie offers expert guidance on understanding the underlying principles of the expectations of accrediting bodies. Using the model presented here, which is much easier to understand than the sometimes complex resources provided by individual accrediting bodies, American colleges and universities can understand what they need to do to earn and maintain their regional accreditation as well as improve overall institutional quality for their students. You’ll be able to:

• Identify ways to improve institutional quality
• Demonstrate the quality of your institution to internal and external constituents
• Avoid wasting time and energy on misguided institutional processes to comply with accreditation requirements

By focusing on why colleges and universities should take particular actions rather than only on what those actions should be, Five Dimensions of Quality gives them the knowledge and strategies to prepare for a successful review. It is an ideal resource for leaders, accreditation committee members, and everyone on campus.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Why Is American Higher Education Under Fire?
Chapter 2: Understanding American Accreditation
Chapter 3: Quality: Committing to Excellence
Chapter 4: Why Is This So Hard?
Chapter 5: Integrity: Doing the Right Thing
Chapter 6: Stewardship: Ensuring and Deploying Resources Responsibly
Chapter 7: A Community of People
Chapter 8: Leadership Capacity and Commitment
Chapter 9: Purpose: Who Are You? Why Do You Exist?
Chapter 10: Goals and Plans: Where Are You Going? How Will You Get There?
Chapter 11: Who Is a Successful Student?
Chapter 12: Helping Students Learn and Succeed
Chapter 13: Gauging Success
Chapter 14: Good Evidence Is Useful
Chapter 15: Setting and Justifying Targets for Success
Chapter 16: Transparency: Sharing Evidence Clearly and Readily
Chapter 17: Using Evidence to Ensure and Advance Quality and Effectiveness
Chapter 18: Sustaining a Culture of Betterment
Chapter 19: Demonstrating Quality to Accreditors
Chapter 20: Program Reviews: Drilling Down into Programs and Services
Chapter 21: Where Do We Go from Here?: A Six-Point Agenda for Ensuring and Advancing Quality