Accreditation Review: Call for Public Comment

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The School of Nursing at Minnesota State University, Mankato is currently engaged in preparing for an evaluation review of the School's baccalaureate and master's programs by CCNE. The evaluation site review will occur September 30 — October 2, 2009.

As part of this review, interested parties (i.e. students, alumni, faculty, advisory board, employers, and the practice community) are invited to send comments about the School of Nursing to CCNE. These comments must be received by CCNE no later than August 31, 2009 and only signed comments will be accepted. Please note that while CCNE shares third–party comments with members of the CCNE evaluation team prior to the visit, at no time are these comments shared with the School of Nursing. The CCNE evaluation team considers these third–party comments as they relate to the program's compliance with accreditation standards (see below).

Please direct comments to:

Amanda Brownbridge – Accreditation Assistant
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-887-6791 x252
Fax: 202-785-8320
Email: abrownbridge@aacn.nche.edu

What is CCNE?

[PDF] The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (161 KiB) (CCNE) "is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health. A specialized/professional accrediting agency, CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate and graduate education programs preparing effective nurses. CCNE serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage ineffective educational practices. As a voluntary, self–regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self–assessment by nursing education programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education… Accreditation by CCNE serves as a statement of good educational practice in the field of nursing. Accreditation evaluations are useful to the program in that they serve as a basis for continuing or formative self assessment as well as for periodic or summative self–assessment through which the program, personnel, procedures, and services are improved. The results of such assessments form the basis for planning and the setting of priorities at the institution".

Accreditation by CCNE is intended to accomplish at least five general purposes:

1. To hold nursing education programs accountable to the community of interest – the nursing profession, consumers, employers, higher education, students and their families – and to one another by ensuring that these programs have mission statements, goals and outcomes that are appropriate for programs preparing individuals to enter the field of nursing.
2. To evaluate the success of a nursing education program in achieving its mission, goals and outcomes.
3. To assess the extent to which a nursing education program meets accreditation standards.
4. To inform the public of the purposes and values of accreditation and to identify nursing education programs that meet accreditation standards.
5. To foster continuing improvement in nursing education programs – and thereby in professional practice.

The Standards

CCNE sets forth broad accreditation Standards with key elements that serve as the basis to evaluate the quality of the educational program offered and to hold the nursing program(s) accountable to the educational community, the nursing profession, and the public.

These Standards, written as broad statements, include:

• Standard I. Program Quality: Mission and Governance
• Standard II. Program Quality: Institutional Commitment and Resources
• Standard III. Program Quality: Curriculum, Teaching–Learning Practices, and Individual Student Learning Outcomes
• Standard IV. Program Effectiveness: Aggregate Student Performance and Faculty Accomplishments

June 12, 2009
M. Stevens, Chairperson SON