MARQUETTE, Mich.— The Higher Learning Commission has formally announced that Northern Michigan University’s accreditation through the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) has been reaffirmed. NMU is on a seven-year accreditation cycle, which means this continuation of accreditation is in place through the 2016-17 academic year. The HLC report indicates that NMU completely satisfied all five accreditation categories: mission and integrity; preparing for the future; student learning and effective teaching; acquisition, discovery and application of knowledge; and engagement and service. 

“As evidenced by the site visit last year that was conducted by accreditation experts sent to Northern by the HLC, the faculty, staff, students, alumni, NMU Board of Trustees and members of the greater Marquette community were very supportive of our reaccreditation efforts,” said Cindy Prosen, NMU associate provost. “Many people from all across campus helped show our visitors that NMU is firmly committed to each of the five criteria upon which accreditation is based. The dedication of all of those involved in our efforts and the extensive documentation that they provided greatly impressed both our on-site visitors and the members of the HLC that evaluated NMU."

Because AQIP is based on a "backbone of continuous quality improvement," Prosen said between now and the next reaffirmation in seven years, Northern will work on projects that demonstrate its commitment to continuously getting better at its core educational mission.

The Higher Learning Commission is authorized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit universities and schools. It is a part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, which was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The HLC accredits degree-granting educational institutions in the North Central region, which includes Michigan.