Decennial Review

Every ten years, an institution accredited by The Commission must undergo a review to demonstrate compliance with the Principles of Accreditation. This decennial review is comprised of:

• Compliance Certification
• Off-Site Peer Review
• On-Site Visit
• Review/Approval by The Commission Board of Trustees

Compliance Certification

In order for our accreditation to be reaffirmed, JMU is required to conduct a comprehensive audit to assess if we are in compliance with accreditation requirements of The Commission. JMU must be in compliance with the standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement. These standards reflect basic expectations that require a narrative statement with links to supporting evidence. Details expected in our university response are available from the POA Resource Manual.

Off-Site Peer Review

The Compliance Certification is submitted to The Commission, who moderates a review by peer institutions. The reviewers are chosen from other The Commission-accredited institutions outside of Virginia.

On-Site Visit

Once the institution receives recommendations from the Off-Site Peer Review, another group of peers and a Commission Vice President visit the institution to follow up on any recommendations and observe any other areas of interest.

Fifth Year Interim Report

The Fifth-Year Interim Report is submitted five years prior to an institution’s reaffirmation review. The Fifth-Year Interim Report is intended to provide documentation of compliance with select standards of the Principles of Accreditation with a focus on student achievement.