ABSTRACT
Perhaps the most easily understood confusion regarding higher education accreditation lies in the term national accreditation. Few college and university administrators can define national accreditation, describe its purposes, or explain its scope. National accreditation embodies many of the values that have shaped accreditation as a whole. Like other sectors, this one is administered mostly by small nonprofit organizations, many of which rely on volunteer peer reviewers. Both recognition and influence are crucial to the second broad mission of many national accreditors, organizing for purposes of political advocacy. National accreditors could take the initiative in this regard not only by inviting such alliances at the accreditor level, but also by encouraging their member institutions and programs to propose practical alliances and cooperative relationships at local and regional levels. Even if such overtures fail to bear fruit, the gains in awareness could be considerable. And they just might bear fruit after all.
