What is accreditation and why does it matter?
Accreditation provides assurance to the public, in particular to prospective students, that an institutional has been found to meet the accrediting agency's clearly stated requirements and criteria and that there are reasonable grounds for believing that it will continue to meet them.
Accreditation provides both public certification of acceptable institutional quality and an opportunity and incentive for self-improvements in the accrediting institution.
An institutional accrediting agency evaluates an entire educational institution in terms of its mission and the agency's standards or criteria. It accredits the institution as a whole. Besides assessing formal educational activities, it evaluates such things as governance and administration, financial stability, admissions and students services, institutional resources, student learning, institutional effectiveness, and relationships with internal and external constituencies.
Regional Accreditation
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, a technical college in the Wisconsin Technical College System, is accredited by and is a member of the Higher Learning Commission.
What is the Higher Learning Commission?
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation, which was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The Higher Learning Commission accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region.
NEW - Open Pathway
Prior to September, 2018 WITC participated in the Academic Quality Improvement Pathway (AQIP) for maintaining accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The AQIP Pathway was introduced in the late 1900s as an option for institutions to maintain their accreditation with HLC. AQIP is focused on quality assurance and institutional improvement, but with an added emphasis on helping institutions achieve continuous quality improvement.
After an evaluation of accreditation pathways, the HLC made a decision to phase out AQIP and transition institutions to Open Pathway. The Open Pathway follows a 10-year cycle and is focused on quality assurance and institutional improvement.
The last required reports to the HLC by the College are linked below. WITC will be submitting their next report, a quality initiative report, in the summer of 2022.
Specialized Program Accreditations
WITC has several programs that are required to maintain professional or specialized accreditation or licensure requirements. Programs with these specialized requirements are listed below.
- Automotive Service Technician and Automotive Technician
- Accrediting Agency: National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF)
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2016
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2021
- Automotive Service Technician Automotive Technician
- Accrediting Agency: National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF)
- Cosmetology
- Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, WI DSPS Licensing
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: Approved
- Next Accreditation or Approval: N/A
- Cosmetology
- Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, WI DSPS Licensing
- Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement Academy and Jail Academy
- Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Justice – Training and Standards Bureau (T&S)
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2016
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2018
- Law Enforcement Academy
- Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Justice – Training and Standards Bureau (T&S)
- Dental Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2013
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2020
- Dental Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
- Dietary Manager
- Accrediting Agency: Dietary Manager Association
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2016
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2021
- Dietary Manager
- Accrediting Agency: Dietary Manager Association
- Health Information Technology
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM)
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2014
- Next Accreditation or Approval: N/A
- Health Information Technology
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM)
- Medical Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Educational Review Board (MAERB)
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2014
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2022
- Medical Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Educational Review Board (MAERB)
- Nursing-Associate Degree
- Accrediting Agency: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN), formerly NLNAC, and approved by the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2014
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2022
- Nursing-Associate Degree
- Accrediting Agency: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN), formerly NLNAC, and approved by the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing
- Nursing Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Health Services
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2017
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2019
- Nursing Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Wisconsin Department of Health Services
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2014
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2024
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Accrediting Agency: Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Paramedic and Paramedic Technician
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Education Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoA EMSP)
- Year of Accreditation or Approval: 2013
- Next Accreditation or Approval: 2018
- EMT Paramedic Paramedic Technician
- Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Education Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoA EMSP)
Definition and Standards
WITC meets established standards and is approved for the instruction of veterans, orphans of war veterans, state and federal rehabilitation students and members of the workforce needing training or retraining. WITC meets the definition of an institution of higher education, and students are entitled to participate in federal financial assistance programs.
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College has been approved by Wisconsin to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education.
