One the eve of the reauthorization the federal Higher Education Act, ACICS reached out to key policy makers and those who influence policy to participate in dialogue with member institutions. Representatives of more than 200 ACICS member colleges and schools were present during the 2013 Conference and Annual Meeting in Jacksonville when U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, chair of the House Higher Education Subcommittee, presented her perspectives and insights. The policy focus on accreditation and quality assurance is pronounced and sustained in the current environment. The scrutiny is applied to regional and national accrediting organizations, reflecting a broad review of the effectiveness and affordability of the entire higher education community. Conferees also had access to substantive workshops on a variety of topics related to quality and integrity, including Institutional Effectiveness, Retention and Placement, Learning Outcomes, Recruitment and Admissions, Placement Verification and Consumer Disclosures.
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