Accreditation at a Crossroads
Kathryn Skulley
March 27, 2026
Accreditation is at a crossroads. At its heart are the principles that keep it more than a compliance exercise: peer judgment, institutional independence and a commitment to authentic student learning. Yet the landscape around those principles is shifting rapidly.
Not long ago, I was visiting a college seeking initial accreditation. The president explained why they hoped to switch accreditors—not because of politics, but for mission alignment. Still, the conversation reflected a broader truth: Institutions are recalibrating amid political tension, regulatory shifts , and mounting public scrutiny. Accreditation, once the steady cadence of higher education, now feels like a drum line—purposeful, but far louder and more contested.
