Fall is here, and on college campuses, that means moving into dorms, starting new classes, and embarking on another academic year. For two colleges it also means becoming pilot sites for inclusive postsecondary education program accreditation; read more below. This summer, over 20 programs expressed interest in and applied to be pilot sites for inclusive postsecondary education program accreditation. For more information about preparing for program accreditation, visit the Think College: Program Accreditation webpage.
The National Coordinating Center Accreditation Workgroup is pleased to announce that the UMatter program at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg campus and the CrossingPoints program at the University of Alabama will be pilot sites for program accreditation. It is a key activity of the National Coordinating Center to establish a process by which postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disability can become accredited. To that end, the NCC has established an accreditation workgroup to focus on this goal. The UMatter program will be the fourth of five programs to pursue program accreditation, and CrossingPoints will be the fifth.
"We are thrilled to have been chosen for this prestigious opportunity," said Dr. Jayme Joslyn, Director of UMatter. "This accreditation process will not only validate the hard work and dedication of our staff and students but also solidify UMatter's position as a leader in inclusive education."
Parents at USF shared their thoughts on their experience with UMatter, “The information you provided is so helpful, greatly appreciated and makes us feel better that you all are on top of things.” Another parent stated, “I am so excited for her to be able to take part in this opportunity. I appreciate the UMatter team more than words can express for all of the support and effort to make this possible.”
“We are so excited to embark on this journey and look forward to piloting the program accreditation process,” said Dr. Kagendo Mutua, CrossingPoints Executive Director. “Our program helps students achieve their academic and career goals, and we want to tell that incredible story of success.”
The Inclusive Higher Education Accreditation Council (IHEAC) is a new, independent accrediting agency for college and university programs that serve students with intellectual disability. Launched in 2023, the IHEAC has accredited three programs thus far: the UP Program at Western Carolina University, the Office of Inclusive Services at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, and ACE-IT in College at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Many thanks to UMatter PI, Dr. Lyman Dukes III, Dr. Jayme Joslyn, UMatter program director, CrossingPoints Executive Director, Dr. Kagendo Mutua, and Dr. Amy Williamson, program director, for their willingness to embark on this program accreditation learning journey. To keep up with program accreditation, visit the LinkedIn and Facebook pages to learn more and spread the word about accreditation in inclusive higher education.