ZCUC Schools Accredited
7 Schools from our Union, 4 primary and 2 High Schools, were recently visited by the AAA Accrediting team. The Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (AAA) is the denominational accrediting authority for all tertiary and graduate educational programs and institutions owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is responsible for evaluating the quality of the denominational institutions’ programs and their implementation of the Seventh-day Adventist philosophy of education in order to foster the unity and mission of the church. They evaluate conformity to threshold standards of academic quality. But because Adventist education is based on a broad definition of wholistic education in the context of a redemptive goal, the AAA also evaluates evidence that the school is achieving success in the spiritual domain and that it is truly “Adventist.” Accreditation by the AAA is available only to church-owned-and-operated schools and degree programs. A variety of indicators are examined to affirm that the overall educational experience furthers the development of the whole person and promotes a biblical worldview.
A team of carefully selected peer re-viewers then visits the campus to corroborate the report and examine the institution’s capacity and educational effectiveness. The experts on the visiting team examine many forms of evidence, using the following approaches:
• Conducting interviews with students, faculty, staff, and members of the board of trustees;
• Examining enrollment, retention, and employment data and trends;
• Reviewing the qualifications of faculty and administrators;
• Assessing the adequacy of the physical plant and student housing;
• Reviewing the minutes of various meetings to assess institutional decision-making capacity and confirm that student learning outcomes are used to “close the loop” in processes and instruction;
• Visiting the library and resource centers to review their holdings;
• Evaluating Internet access;
• Examining indicators of the quality of worship services;
• Checking on the quality of the food in the cafeteria.
Accreditation provides not only accountability for the integration of faith and learning and for quality education, but also serves as a forum for reflection, commitment (including financial commitment by governing boards or sponsoring organizations), and collaboration between gown and town—in this case, the church. The process promotes transparency and demonstrates accountability to the church constituency. Furthermore, this form of intentional dialogue fosters collaboration and understanding between the work of education and the work of the church.