Accreditation Guide.pdf

The Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (AAA) was established in 1997 to review the mission practices, spiritual values, and educational policies of Seventh-day Adventist academic institutions. AAA serves as the accrediting body for all higher education programs and institutions owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The accreditation process begins with a notification from the General Conference Department of Education, which includes the accreditation handbook and the institution's previous AAA evaluation report.

The self-study process for Washington Adventist University (WAU) began in 2012, with the university given 10 criteria to address under Form B. The criteria included history, philosophy, mission, and objectives; spiritual development, service, and witnessing; governance, organization, and administration; finances, financial structure, and industries; programs of study; faculty and staff; library and resource centers; student services; public relations and external constituencies; and pastoral and theological education.

In 2013, the General Conference Department of Education reduced the number of Form B areas from 10 to seven, which decreased the time required to prepare the self-study document. WAU, however, had already made significant progress in its self-study evaluation and adhered to the original self-study plan. The AAA self-study chair coordinates and keeps track of all the details necessary to produce a well-written AAA Self-Study report and makes plans for hosting the AAA visiting team.

The self-study process involves organizing a steering committee, deciding on the composition of various subcommittees, developing and constructing a timeline for the entire project, and forming an executive committee. The chair must make frequent reports to the institution's administration and create minutes for each meeting, which are circulated to the administration and all members of the steering committee.

The steering committee should reflect a campus-wide evaluation, with participation from a cross-section of students, staff, and faculty. The committee is responsible for researching and writing responses for each of the AAA criteria, with one subcommittee created for each criterion. The committee engages in a review process for every section of the Self-Study report, ensuring a balanced and accurate report.