Frequently Asked Questions

If you are a Champlain faculty or staff member, know that representatives from each Standard Team could reach out to you in order to tap into your expertise at the college as they work to accumulate evidence. In Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, there will be opportunities for you to provide feedback on drafts of the self-study. Please read the drafts, especially with regards to the standards pertinent to your role. In other words, you can be a fact-checker.

Yes. This accreditation process involves the entire campus and this includes students. The Steering Committee will consult with the SGA and President’s Advisory Council at various stages throughout the self-study process and the visiting team’s campus itinerary includes time with students.

The 10-year reflective self-study process affords the opportunity for the institution to think collectively about how (and how well) we meet accreditation standards. The final document will clock in at just under 100 pages of narrative covering all facets of the institution so it’s a pretty big undertaking. Engaging in the process deeply and authentically takes time, but it also yields important insights that we can use to guide our work for the future. Institutions do generally take 18 months to 2 years to complete the entire process.

At a site visit, a 6-8 person team spends a few days on campus talking with a variety of groups ranging from the Board of Trustees to students. These teams consist of volunteers from peer institutions who, fundamentally, are trying to make sure what we share in our self-study matches what’s actually happening on campus. At the end of their visit, the visiting team will share their preliminary findings with the entire campus community at a town hall-style event.

The United States Department of Higher Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation both recognize seven governing bodies capable of accrediting sites of higher education.

NEHCE evaluates colleges and universities in a holistic manner. There are program-specific accreditations that certain fields and disciplines can apply for but NECHE is comprehensive.

If you have any questions about accreditation, contact Cyndi Brandenburg or Mike Kelly.

Accreditation ensures that Champlain meets a series of quality standards and provides students a number of benefits. Most importantly, only students enrolled at accredited colleges are eligible for federal and state financial aid. Moreover, employers and graduate schools are more likely to recognize degrees from accredited institutions.

NECHE will tell us the status of our accreditation sometime during the Spring 2027.

If a college loses its accreditation, students who require federal financial aid will be unable to use that aid to attend Champlain.