Almost twenty years ago, I first joined the Peer Corps of the Higher Learning Commission—one of the U.S. higher education accrediting bodies. The process of joining involves completing an application and being recommended by someone at your institution. While browsing through some of my old files, I came across my application essay questions. In one, I wrote the following statement:
“I want to serve the field through joining the peer corps in order to help colleges and universities continue to improve from within—rather than only having to rely on regulations and laws to improve.”
During my time in the Peer Corps, I saw every manner of institution—from those doing the absolute minimum to comply with regulations and accreditation standards to the very few that fully embraced continuous improvement at most levels of their institution. Like most normal distributions, these two extremes represent the tails. The majority of institutions fall somewhere in the middle, viewing accreditation as the goal itself. While accreditation is important to maintain, it is an unworthy goal on its own.
Why Institution-Wide Continuous Improvement Should Be the Goal
Continuous improvement focuses on creating a culture where every part of the institution is aligned toward achieving better outcomes for students, faculty, and the community. Unlike accreditation, which often feels like a checklist exercise, continuous improvement is dynamic, ongoing, and driven by institutional values. It requires full engagement from the entire college community in working toward shared goals.
Accreditation ensures compliance, but it doesn’t inherently drive excellence. Institutions that embed continuous improvement into their culture move beyond minimum standards, fostering innovation, collaboration, and accountability. This shift benefits not only the institution but also its students, who experience higher-quality education and services.
Continuous Improvement is Hard
Adopting continuous improvement as the institutional ethos is some of the hardest work a college will ever do. Unlike accreditation, which is periodic and often reactive, continuous improvement requires sustained effort, cultural change, and accountability at all levels. Here are some of the key challenges:
Cultural Change
Moving toward continuous improvement requires a fundamental shift in how faculty, staff, and administrators think about their roles. It demands buy-in from all stakeholders, which is particularly challenging when long-standing practices and traditions are at play.
For example, faculty members who are accustomed to complete autonomy in course design may be resistant to data-driven curriculum adjustments. Similarly, administrators who prefer a top-down approach may struggle with the collaborative nature of continuous improvement. Breaking these patterns requires clear communication, transparency, and a commitment to shared governance.
Sustained Effort
Unlike accreditation, which is a periodic process, continuous improvement is ongoing. It demands continuous assessment, iteration, and adjustment based on data and feedback.
For example, if a college implements a new student success initiative, it may take several semesters before measurable improvements appear. Institutions must be patient and persistent, resisting the urge to abandon initiatives too soon or change direction too frequently.
Accountability Across the Institution
Continuous improvement requires accountability at all levels—not just among leadership. This is particularly challenging in higher education, where departments and programs often operate in silos.
For example, improving student advising doesn’t just involve the advising office—it requires input from faculty, student services, IT, and institutional research. Ensuring that accountability is shared across these units is critical to meaningful progress.
Dynamic Goals
Continuous improvement is not a static process; it requires institutions to be adaptable and responsive to changing needs.
For instance, if a large manufacturing plant is built in a mid-sized town, the community college serving that area must pivot quickly to develop relevant workforce programs. This kind of responsiveness is impossible if the institution is only focused on meeting accreditation benchmarks rather than proactively engaging with community and workforce needs.
What Institution-Wide Continuous Improvement Looks Like: Meet Responsive Community College
Imagine a mid-sized community college in the Midwest serving a diverse student population. Here’s how continuous improvement is embedded across the institution:
A Process for Transformation
Five years ago, Responsive Community College established an Office of Transformation, led by the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). This office includes project managers, data analysts, and facilitators who support institutional transformation efforts—from launching new academic programs to implementing IT solutions.
The CSO’s first challenge was to build trust across the institution, breaking down silos and fostering cross-campus collaboration. Over time, the CSO has become a trusted partner, with faculty and staff now seeing the office as a resource rather than an enforcer. At Responsive, if you want to try something new, the first call you make is to the Office of Transformation.
Student Success Metrics Drive Decisions
Responsive uses real-time data to track student retention, completion, and transfer rates. Where real-time data isn’t available, they rely on the most current and reliable sources. These insights are made accessible through dashboards, and regular campus-wide discussions ensure that data isn’t just collected—it informs decision-making.
To support faculty and staff in using data effectively, the institution offers a data analysis training program, led by the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and their team. This initiative ensures that anyone launching a new program or intervention has the analytical support needed to measure impact quickly.
Professional Learning is a Priority
Continuous improvement isn’t just about students—it’s about faculty and staff as well. Responsive gives every employee the opportunity to attend at least one off-campus training program every two years and complete one professional development initiative on campus annually.
Professional learning programs often emerge through collaboration between departments. For example, the data training program began as a collaboration between faculty and institutional research staff. Employees are encouraged to share what they learn widely, ensuring that new ideas spread across departments.
Community Engagement
Responsive Community College actively involves employers and community members in program and service development. Advisory boards, once treated as a mere compliance requirement, must become integral to curriculum design, career services, and student advising.
Employers provide real-time feedback on workforce needs, and the college’s agile curriculum process allows them to implement changes quickly. This responsiveness ensures that programs remain aligned with industry demands, benefiting both students and local businesses.
Iterative Assessment and Feedback Loops
Programs and services undergo regular evaluation and refinement based on data and stakeholder input. Surveys and assessment results are shared widely, and action plans are developed collaboratively. Instead of waiting for accreditation reviews to assess progress, Responsive treats assessment as a continuous dialogue.
Conclusion
Accreditation is an important milestone, but it should never be the final destination. The true goal of any institution should be to foster a culture of continuous improvement, where innovation, responsiveness, and accountability are the norm. By embedding these principles into everyday practices, institutions can not only maintain accreditation but also create transformative educational experiences for students, faculty, and the broader community.
Continuous improvement is challenging, but the rewards—a thriving, adaptable, and impactful institution—are well worth the effort. The first step? Stop thinking of accreditation as the finish line. Instead, use it as a catalyst for a culture that always strives to be better.
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