Systems Appraisal

AQIP institutions undergo a Systems Appraisal every four years. The Appraisal is based on the college’s Systems Portfolio, a document which presents an overview of the institution and answers questions under each of the nine AQIP Categories. The Portfolio describes processes, results, and improvement in each system, and shows evidence that the institution continues to meet The Higher Learning Commission's Criteria for Accreditation. The Higher Learning Commission provides each institution with a comprehensive Systems Appraisal Feedback Report in response to the Portfolio.

Six AQIP Categories

Category 1: Helping Students Learn focuses on the design, deployment, and effectiveness of teaching-learning processes (and on the processes required to support them) that underlie the institution's credit and non-credit programs and courses.

Category 2: Meeting Student and Other Key Stakeholder Needs addresses the key processes (separate from instructional programs and internal support services) through which the institution serves its external stakeholders in support of its mission.

Category 3: Valuing Employees explores the institution's commitment to the hiring, development, and evaluation of faculty, staff, and administrators.

Category 4: Planning and Leading focuses on how the institution achieves its mission and lives its vision through direction setting, goal development, strategic actions, threat mitigation, and capitalizing on opportunities.

Category 5: Knowledge Management and Resource Stewardship addresses management of the fiscal, physical, technological, and information infrastructures designed to provide an environment in which learning can thrive.

Category 6: Quality Overview focuses on the continuous quality improvement culture and infrastructure of the institution. This category gives the institution a chance to reflect on all its quality improvement initiatives, how they are integrated, and how they contribute to improvement of the institution.