The OLINformer

Olin Receives Accreditation from NEASC

The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering has received accreditation from the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC). The college received a “Certificate of Accreditation” from the association on December 7, signaling that the college has met the body’s standards for membership.

“NEASC accreditation is a major milestone in the establishment of the college,” said Olin President Richard K. Miller in a note to the Olin community. “It has many implications that flow from this recognition by our peer institutions that our academic institution is sound and in good standing.”

Word of the accreditation decision caps a process that began in 2002 when the college first applied for candidacy status from NEASC. There followed two visits by official NEASC teams under the auspices of the association’s Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, and two “self studies” by the college, culminating in a recent vote by the NEASC board of directors to grant Olin accreditation. Olin graduated its first class in May 2006, and the accreditation will apply retroactively to that class.

NEASC accreditation applies to the institution as a whole. Olin is also seeking accreditation for its degree programs from ABET, the accrediting body for engineering programs. A decision on ABET accreditation is not expected until next summer.

(copied from the Olin Website at http://www.olin.edu/about_olin/news/pr_single.asp?id=176)

And of course, the “I go to an Accredited College” Group was created on Facebook soon after the announcement!