The Initial Accreditation Self-Study should be divided into three volumes as described below. Like the previous benchmarks, Volume I contains a series of narratives that demonstrate the program’s compliance with the EPAS. In the Initial Accreditation Self-Study, however, the program assembles the narratives from the compliance sections of all Benchmarks to create a self-study.
Volume 1 – Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS)
Initial Accreditation Review Brief. The Initial Accreditation Review Brief should be included in the beginning of volume one. During Commissioner Visit III, the Initial Accreditation Review Brief is used as a tool for the commission visitor to locate content on each accreditation standard within the Initial Accreditation Self-Study. In section 1, the program completes identifying information. In the Location column of sections 2 and 3, the program indicates the document name and page number where each compliance statement for an accreditation standard is addressed.
Review the narratives for accuracy; update as necessary; and order them by AS, following the order of the Initial Accreditation Review Brief. Complete the Faculty Summary Form and Faculty Data Forms and include them near AS 3.2.1; complete the Program Expense Budget form and include it near the narrative for AS 3.4.1; and complete the Librarian’s Report form and include it near the narrative for AS 3.4.4.
Format for Volume 1
Each accreditation standard should be addressed in a separate narrative headed by the number and full text of each standard for easy identification by the COA reader. Programs should refer to the compliance column of the Compliance, Concern, and Noncompliance Statements while writing Volume I of the Benchmark III document. It explains the minimum requirements for completely and clearly meeting an accreditation standard and related educational policy and why COA would cite either as an area of concern or noncompliance.
Volume 2 – Syllabi
Volume two contains the program’s course syllabi.
Volume 3 – Supporting Documentation
Volume three is the appendix and contains the field education manual, the student handbook, and any other supporting documentation not already included in Volume 1.