Hidden hands and invisible arms: regional accreditor's agency in student success outcomes in small, private, non-selective colleges

Poor retention and graduation outcomes cast doubts about the value of a college education. Accountability for the quality of higher education has been an increasingly significant national issue in higher education over the past decade. As pressures for accountability increase, so does the call for greater oversight. In the United States, the oversight for assuring the performance quality of higher education is accreditation. This study addressed the research question of how and if a quality assurance process can also be a quality improvement process.

Using a document analysis of Department of Education documents and interviews with small college administrators, the study explored how an accreditation focus on retention and graduation has influenced (or not) organizational changes for improving student success outcomes in small, private, four-year non-selective colleges in four regions of the United States. Overall, the findings suggest that accreditation currently plays a minimal role in improving retention and completion in colleges.