NMC accreditation renewed, commended for continuous quality improvement

TRAVERSE CITY — NMC’s accreditation process—a key benchmark of the college’s overall quality—has been reaffirmed for the next 10 years by the Higher Learning Commission.

The reaffirmation process is the culmination of a comprehensive, eight-year cycle following a March 2019 site visit by HLC peer reviewers. Accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources.

In its report, the peer review committee cited NMC’s “strong, clear, and well-presented evidence” on all five criteria for accreditation. It also praised NMC for its ongoing dedication to continuous quality improvement.

“Continuous quality improvement appears to be embedded within the culture of the college,” the report concludes.

NMC Executive Director of Research, Planning and Effectiveness Joy Evans said the clear-cut reaffirmation is “significant” for NMC and places it at the forefront among other Michigan community colleges.

“We not only met all criteria of accreditation but we are not on any form of interim monitoring, a rare finding for Michigan community colleges over the past several years,” Evans said.

Northwestern Michigan College has been accredited by HLC since 1961. The HLC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a gatekeeper agency within the accreditation process. The next reaffirmation of accreditation is scheduled for 2028-29.

In addition to college-wide accreditation, many NMC programs maintain individual accreditations. Nursing programs in June received re-accreditation for the next eight years. In October, the Marine Technology program will host a site visit as part of its accreditation process. Learn more here.

Release date: Sept. 3, 2019

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks
Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019