IT Accreditation Handbook

Industrial Technology Accreditation Handbook - 2000
Associate and Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Published by The National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT)

Table of Contents

Introduction
Administrative Organization
Accreditation Policies
Accreditation Periods and Actions
Standards for Accreditation - Associate Degree Programs
Standards for Accreditation - Baccalaureate Degree Programs
On-Site Visitation Procedures and Guidelines
Guidelines for Institutional Self-Study Report
Guidelines for Visiting Team Report
Guidelines for Progress Reports

Appendices

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose
The primary purpose of the National Association of Industrial Technology accreditation is to provide recognition of the attainment of certain professional goals and standards for Industri3l Technology. The secondary purpose is to encourage others to strive toward these goals and standards. Each curricular pattern will be reviewed in terms of its stated objectives, content, methods, supporting resources, and evaluation systems.

1.2 Definition of Industrial Technology

Industrial Technology is a field of study designed to prepare technical and/or technical management-oriented professionals for employment in business, industry, education, and government. Industrial Technology degree programs and professionals in Industrial Technology careers typically will be involved with the:

application of theories, concepts, and principles found in the humanities and the social and behavioral sciences, including a thorough grounding in communication skills.
understanding of the theories and the ability to apply the principles and concepts of mathematics and science and the application of computer fundamentals.
application of concepts derived from, and current skills developed in, a variety of technical and related disciplines which may include, but are not limited to, materials and production processes, industrial management and human relations, marketing, communications, electronics, and graphics.
completion of a field of specialization, for example, electronic data processing, computer aided design, computer integrated manufacturing, manufacturing, construction, energy, polymers, printing, safety, or transportation.

1.3. Associate Degree Programs

Two-year programs accredited in community colleges, technical institutes, and four- year colleges and universities shall lead to the associate degree and be within the National Association of Industrial Technology definition of Industrial Technology. Programs considered for accreditation shall prepare individuals for positions that contribute to the design and development, production, distribution, or operational support of complex technical systems.

Examples of the names of typical programs which may be considered for accreditation, in addition to Industrial Technology, include the following:

Manufacturing Technology
Electronics Technology
Production Technology
Industrial Safety Technology
Communications Technology
Construction Technology
Design Technology
Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) Technology
Robotics Technology
Polymer Technology

Degree programs designed specifically for transfer to baccalaureate level Industrial Technology programs will also be considered.

1.4 Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Four-year programs accredited in colleges and universities shall lead to the baccalaureate degree and shall be designed to prepare management-oriented technical professionals. Programs will include at least the junior and senior years of a baccalaureate program, with appropriate lower division course work from the four-year institution or from associated community colleges and technical institutes. Industrial Technology curricula which combine liberal education with professional-level technical management may be evaluated for accreditation at the baccalaureate degree level. Programs considered must prepare students for technical management positions in areas such as industrial planning, production, supply, product market research, and technical sales.

Examples of the names of typical programs which may be considered for accreditation, in addition to Industrial Technology, include the following:

Manufacturing/Production Technology
Communications Technology
Computer Aided Design Technology
Electronics Technology
Computer Technology
Packaging Technology
Construction Technology
Computer Integrated Manufacturing Technology
Industrial Distribution Technology
Aerospace Technology

1.5 Responsibility

The National Association of Industrial Technology is dedicated to the establishment and maintenance of curricula of Industrial Technology and derives the authority and responsibility for accreditation from its Constitution and Bylaws which state, "The Association shall. . . provide, through an accreditation process, for recognition of the attainment of appropriate standards for Industrial Technology programs in colleges and universities." The National Association of Industrial Technology has been involved in the accreditation process since 1974.

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2. Administration Organization

Functional decision-making authority for implementing the accreditation process is carried out by the Board of Accreditation and the Accreditation Personnel Committee. Decisions reached by these two autonomous decision-making bodies are not subject to approval by any officers, committees, or boards of the National Association of Industrial Technology. Figure 2.1 illustrates the relationship of these two autonomous units to other administrative units of National Association of Industrial Technology.

Figure 2.1
Functional Decision-Making Authority for Accreditation Activities

2.1 Board of Accreditation

2.1.1 Membership: The Board of Accreditation consists of at least twenty-three members appointed or elected as follows:

Six Members - University Division. The University Division will elect six members (two each year) who will serve three-year terms. One member shall be elected from each region. A nominating committee consisting of the three most recent past presidents of the University Division shall be responsible for identifying two candidates for each position. The slate of candidates shall be transmitted to the executive director of the Association at least 90 days prior to the annual convention. A ballot will be mailed to each professional member of the Division. If any of the elected members are unable to complete their term of office, the vacancy will be filled by appointment by the president of the University Division.
Six Members - Community College and Technical Institute Division. The Community College and Technical Institute Division will elect six members (two each year) who will serve three-year terms. One member shall be elected from each region. A nominating committee consisting of the three most recent past presidents of the Community College and Technical Institute Division shall be responsible for identifying two candidates for each position. The slate of candidates shall be transmitted to the executive director of the Association at least 90 days prior to the annual convention. A ballot will be mailed to each professional member of the Division. If any of the elected members are unable to complete their term of office, the vacancy will be filled by appointment by the president of the Community College and Technical Institute Division.
Six Members - Industry Division. The Industry Division will elect six members (two each year) who will serve three-year terms. One member shall be elected from each region. A nominating committee consisting of the three most recent past presidents of the Industry Division shall be responsible for identifying two candidates for each position. The slate of candidates shall be turned over to the executive director of the Association at least 90 days prior to the annual convention. A ballot will be mailed to each professional member of the Division. If any of the elected members are unable to complete their term of office, the vacancy will be filled by appointment by the president of the Industry Division.
One Member - Student Division. The president of the Student Division will appoint one member to serve a two-year term. The name of the appointee will be turned over to the executive director of the Association at least 30 days prior to the annual convention.
Three Members - Lay Public. Three members of the lay public shall be appointed to staggered three-year terms on the Board. The appointments will be made by the Executive Board from nominations submitted by the chair of the Executive Board.
Program Sponsors. Program Sponsors shall elect or appoint one (1) representative on the Board for each ten (10) institutions with NAIT accredited programs in their sponsorship area, up to a maximum of three (3) Board positions. The number of Program Sponsor representatives shall be determined by the Chair of the Board of Accreditation and the Executive Director of the Association. Program Sponsor representatives shall be appointed to three (3) year terms and when Sponsors have more than one representative the terms shall be staggered. Each Program Sponsor shall provide the names of newly elected or appointed representatives to the Executive Director of the Association at least ninety (90) days prior to the annual Conference.
Board Chair. The Chair of the Board of Accreditation shall be appointed to a four(4) year term of office by the Executive Board. The Board shall appoint the Chair-Elect of the Board of Accreditation one (1) year prior to the date that the individual officially assumes the office. At the time of appointment the appointee shall be a faculty member or an administrator in an accredited program and have served as chair of a minimum of three visiting teams. The chair may be appointed to one additional term of office. In the absence of the Board of Accreditation Chair, the Chair of the Standards and Accreditation Committee shall serve temporarily, or if necessary, until the Executive Board appoints a replacement. At the beginning of each meeting, the Board shall elect a Vice-Chair who shall assume the position of Chair when and if it is necessary for the Chair to relinquish the position because of a "conflict-of-interest" on any specific issue.

2.1.2 Board Authority: The Board of Accreditation has autonomous decision-making authority for the following activities:

approving or disapproving individuals recommended by the Accreditation Personnel Committee as visiting team members.

approving or disapproving individuals recommended by the Accreditation Personnel Committee as consultants.

approving or disapproving institutional applications for accreditation when applications preferred by the Accreditation Personnel Committee.

determining accreditation status and length of accreditation period (within approved guidelines).

determining special institutional requirements (such as focused reports) during the accreditation period.

2.1.3 Board Meetings: The Board is required to meet at the annual convention of the National Association of Industrial Technology. Other meetings may be called by the chair of the Board of Accreditation.

2.1.4 Institutional Notification of Board Decisions: The executive director will notify institutions of all board actions (notice is sent to both institution and program heads) within 30 days of the Board meeting.

2.1.5 Subcommittee on Validity and Reliability: The chair of the Board of Accreditation shall appoint a subcommittee, consisting of five members of the Board, with responsibility to develop and maintain a systematic program designed to assess the validity and reliability of accreditation criteria, procedures, and standards.

2.1.6 Program Sponsors: The Board of Accreditation may recognize and approve Program Sponsors in specific specialized areas of study. The initial period of recognition shall be five (5) years and then the Board may extend the recognition for an indefinite period. Program Sponsor status may be terminated without cause by either the sponsoring agency or organization or the Board of Accreditation with six (6) months written notice to the other party.

2.1.6.1 Program Sponsor Responsibilities: Program Sponsors have the following specific responsibilities which must be fulfilled during the approval period:

Standards and Policy Development: Program Sponsors shall be responsible for reviewing existing accreditation standards and policies and for the development and submission of revisions and additions to existing standards and for the development of new standards. Program Sponsors shall elect and/or appoint one member to the Association Standards and Accreditation Committee, submit proposed changes to the Committee, and work with this committee to move changes through the review and approval process.
Team Member Selection, Training, and Evaluation: Program Sponsors shall be responsible for the selection, training, and evaluation of Program Sponsor team members and chairs who will serve on NAIT teams visiting institutions with programs in their sponsorship area. The Program Sponsor will work with the NAIT Accreditation Personnel Committee in the assignment of individuals to teams.
Board of Accreditation Membership: Program Sponsors shall be assigned one position on the NAIT Board of Accreditation for each ten (10) institutions with NAIT accredited programs in their sponsorship area, up to a maximum of three (3) Board positions.

2.1.6.2 Program Sponsor Fees: Each Program Sponsor shall be assessed an annual sponsorship fee of $6,000 for each Program Sponsor position on the NAIT Board of Accreditation. The fee shall be due within thirty (30) days of the start of the calendar year. NAIT will pay travel expenses for Program Sponsor team members and Board of Accreditation members attending meetings and training.

2.2 Appeals Board

2.2.1 Decisions Which May be Appealed: An institution may petition for review of adverse decisions (Non-Accreditation) on any of the following grounds. The institution believes the board:

and/or the visiting team failed to follow stated procedures,
failed to consider all the evidence and documentation presented in favor of an institution's application,
acted erroneously by disregarding accreditation standards,
or a visiting team member was guilty of bias.

2.2.2 Board Activation: The Board will be activated by the Executive Board chair upon receipt of a decision review petition from the president of an institution. The petition must relate to one of the grounds cited above (decisions which may be appealed), and justification must be provided for the basis of the request.

2.2.3 Time Schedule for Decision Review Petition Submission: No later than 30 days from the date the institution was notified of an adverse decision by the Board of Accreditation, the institution must notify the Executive Board chair in writing of its intention to petition for review of the decision, and not later than 60 days from the same date it shall submit documentation supporting such a petition.

2.2.4 Appeals Board Membership: The immediate past president of the Industry Division shall serve as non-voting chair of the Appeals Board. Three institutions offering accredited programs at the level of the petitioning institution (selected by chance by the Executive Board chair) shall each provide one Board member. Three members shall be appointed by the president of the Industry Division. One member shall be appointed by the president of the institution filing the review petition. This member shall not be affiliated in any way with the institution. None of the eight member committee (seven voting and one non-voting) may be members of the Board of Accreditation, the Executive Board, or ever have been affiliated with the institution filing the Decision Review Petition.

2.2.5 Program(s) Status During Decision Review Process: The accreditation status of the program(s) shall remain unchanged during the review process, and there shall be no public notice of any change in program(s) status until the review process is complete.

2.2.6 Appeals Board Meeting: A meeting of the Appeals Board shall be called by the Appeals Board chair within 90 days after receipt of documentation for the review petition from the filing institution. The meeting(s) of the Appeals Board shall be conducted in accord with due process. The appellant institution has the right of a hearing before the Appeals Board. The final action or recommendation of the Review Board must be communicated in writing to the Executive Board chair, the Board of Accreditation, and the head of the appellant institution not less than 90 days prior to the next scheduled meeting of the Board of Accreditation. The meeting of the Review Board may be held on the campus of the institution submitting the appeal petition.

2.2.7 Possible Action by the Appeals Board: The Appeals Board may take one of two actions: (a) affirm the original decision of the Board of Accreditation or, (b) recommend to the Board of Accreditation that it reconsider its original decision. In either case, the Appeals Board shall provide reasons for its action.

2.2.8 Resubmission of a Decision Review Petition: An institution may petition only once for a decision review. The review is considered completed when the Appeals Board affirms the original decision of the Board of Accreditation or when the Board of Accreditation takes formal action on the recommendation of the Appeals Board.

2.2.9 Costs Incurred by a Decision Review Petition: The costs related to activation of the Appeals Board shall be shared equally by the petitioning institution and the National Association of Industrial Technology. The chair of the Appeals Board shall provide to the petitioning institution and the Executive Board chair a breakdown of approximate Appeals Board expenses no later than 30 days prior to the meeting of the Appeals Board.

2.3 Accreditation Personnel Committee

2.3.1 Membership: Membership on this committee shall consist of the chair of the Association Standards and Accreditation Committee, the chair of the Board of Accreditation, and the Executive Director who will be an ex-officio member of the Committee. The chair of the Association Standards and Accreditation Committee shall serve as chair of the Accreditation Personnel Committee.

2.3.2 Committee Responsibilities: The Committee shall:

submit nominations to the Board of Accreditation for approval of visiting team members and consultants.
maintain an official list of approved visiting team members and consultants.
plan and conduct training sessions for visiting team members and consultants.
plan and conduct training sessions for institutional representatives involved in preparing Self-Study Reports.
evaluate visiting team members and consultants and report the results of these evaluations to the Board of Accreditation.

2.3.3 Committee Authority: The committee shall:

assign approved visiting team members for specific institutional visits.
assign chairs for visiting teams.
assign approved consultants to institutions in response to specific requests for consulting services.
approve institutional applications for accreditation or refer applications to the Board of Accreditation.

2.4 Visiting Accreditation Teams

2.4.1 Membership: Each visiting team will consist of at least three members. The size of each team will be determined by the size and complexity of the program(s) to be evaluated and the number of geographic locations to be visited. At least one team member must be an industrial representative and at least one team member must be from an institution offering programs at the level of the institution being visited. Teams visiting institutions with programs represented by NAIT accreditation Program Sponsors must have a Program Sponsor representative on the team. All team members must be professional members of the National Association of Industrial Technology (except for Program Sponsor representatives) and shall have completed visiting accreditation team member training. To be eligible to serve as the Chair of a visiting team, the individual must have served as a member of at least two visiting teams.

2.4.2 Assignments to Visiting Teams: The Accreditation Personnel Committee shall identify prospective members from the approved list for visiting teams and send the names to the institutional and program heads of the institution to be visited. If any of the proposed team members are not acceptable to an institution, the president of the institution can inform the chair of the Accreditation Personnel Committee, and an effort will be made to restructure the team. If it is not possible for the institution and the Committee to agree on team membership, the institution has the right to withdraw its request for accreditation or reaccreditation.

2.4.3 Visiting Team Responsibility: The visiting team shall:

review the institution's Self-Study Report.
conduct at least a two-day, on-site visit to the institution.
prepare a written report for the Board of Accreditation following the guidelines included in this handbook, including a recommendation relating to the status of accreditation.
have a team member present at the annual Board of Accreditation meeting.

2.5 Approved Consultants

2.5.1 Process for Approval and Assignment: The Accreditation Personnel Committee shall be responsible for nominating individuals for approval as consultants by the Board of Accreditation. The Board of Accreditation shall have final decision-making authority for approval of consultants. Requests for official NAIT consultants shall be sent to the NAIT National Office. The chair of the NAIT Accreditation Personnel Committee shall submit the names of approved consultants to the requesting institution. The requesting institution shall select a consultant from this list.

2.5.2 Time Period of Approval Authority: Consultants are approved for a two-year period and may be renominated and approved for consecutive terms.

2.5.3 Criteria for Approval as Consultants: To be approved as consultants, individuals must:

be thoroughly familiar with accreditation standards.
have served as chair of at least two visiting teams.
have recently attended a visiting team training session.

2.5.4 Consultant Service: Individuals may not serve on any decision-making body of the National Association of Industrial Technology which is considering the accreditation status of an institution where the individual served as a consultant.

2.5.5 Written Reports: Written reports shall be completed for each official consultant visit to an institution. A copy of the written report shall be submitted to the institution and/or program head of the institution being visited within 45 days of the visit and a copy shall be placed in the permanent institutional file in the national office. A copy of the written consultant report shall be provided to members of any subsequent NAIT on-site visiting team.

2.5.6 Consultant Fees: Institutions shall be charged a fee of $200 per day plus expenses for consultants. The fee and expenses shall be paid to the National Association of Industrial Technology, and the consultant will be reimbursed by the Association.

2.6 Standards and Accreditation Committee

2.6.1 Committee Authorization: The Standards and Accreditation Committee is a Special Committee of the Association with the members and chair appointed annually from the membership of the Association by the Executive Board chair with the approval of the Executive Board. The chair is appointed to a four-year term.

2.6.2 Reporting Lines: The chair of the Standards and Accreditation Committee shall report to the Executive Director of the Association.

2.6.3 Criteria for Membership: Each member of the Standards and Accreditation Committee shall have served as a member of at least two visiting teams. The chair of the Committee shall have served as chair of at least three visiting teams.

2.6.4 Committee Membership: The Committee shall consist of at least three members from the University Division, three members of the Community College and Technical Institute Division, three members from the Industry Division, and one member from each NAIT Program Sponsor.

2.6.5 Committee Responsibilities: The Committee shall:

develop proposed policies, procedures, and standards for accreditation of Industrial Technology programs and submit these materials to the Board of Accreditation.
assist the Standards and Accreditation Committee chair in the performance of his/her responsibilities on the Accreditation Personnel Committee.

2.7 Conflict of Interest

Only individuals without potential conflict of interest shall be involved either in formulating recommendations or in the decision-making process. Individuals shall be considered to have a potential conflict of interest if they:

have ever been employed, or ever been reviewed for employment, as a faculty member or administrator by the institution being reviewed.
have relatives in the employ of the institution being reviewed.
own more than five percent of the stock in a company that does business with the institution being reviewed.
are employed by a company that markets products directly to the institution being reviewed.

Members of the Board of Accreditation, the Accreditation Appeals Board, the Accreditation Personnel Committee, visiting accreditation teams, and official consultants shall remove themselves from all deliberations relating to the accreditation process for specific institutions when any of the above situations exist. The Accreditation Personnel Committee shall have final authority for determining if a conflict of interest situation exists. They also shall be responsible for ensuring that individuals involved in the accreditation process are aware of and adhere to these policies.

2.8 Accreditation Personnel

A list of all individuals on accreditation policy and decision-making bodies is available upon request from the national office. The list contains names, addresses, telephone numbers, and the status of election or appointment periods.

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3. Accreditation Policies

3.1 Type of Programs

The National Association of Industrial Technology accredits clearly identifiable programs at the associate and baccalaureate level that meet the standards of accreditation. The programs may have titles other than Industrial Technology such as Construction Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Computer Technology, Automotive, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Computer Aided Design, Communications Technology, and Printing Management. Generally only programs that have been in existence long enough to provide follow-up data relating to program graduates are accredited.

3.2 Request for Accreditation

To initiate the accreditation process, a Request for Accreditation or Reaccreditation Form (see Appendix A) must be submitted by the head of the institution, or his/her designated representative, to the Executive Director. The request must be made at least three months prior to the expected accreditation visit. An institution may, at any time, withdraw its request for accreditation and thereby stop the accreditation process. The institution will be responsible for payment of all expenses incurred prior to receipt of the withdrawal request. The National Association of Industrial Technology will not re-evaluate a program which it has already accredited without authorization by the institution except as specified under 3.12, Review of Complaints, and 3.16, Related Accreditation Agency Status.

3.3 The Visiting Team

The on-site visitation will be performed by a team consisting of a chair and two or more members assigned by the Accreditation Personnel Committee from a list of individuals previously approved by the Board of Accreditation. At least one member of the team will be a representative from industry and at least one team member must be from an institution offering programs at the level of the institution being visited.

3.4 Schedule for Visitations

Visits will normally be conducted between November 1 and May 1 and will be scheduled through the Executive Director by action of the Accreditation Personnel Committee. Visits will be scheduled in consultation with the institution and members of the visiting team.

3.5 Notification of Visit

The Executive Director will notify the appropriate regional accrediting association regarding the anticipated dates of the visit by the accreditation team. It is the responsibility of the institutional contact person to inform the head of the institution and the program head of all aspects of accreditation activity.

3.6 Cost of Accreditation

The fee for the initial accreditation visit is $4,000. The fee shall be paid 30 days prior to the initial on-site visit. The visiting team and institutional fees for accreditation after the initial on-site visit is $1,500 and is due and payable by March 15th of each calendar year. The visiting team and institutional fee includes the fees for subsequent on-site visits. Institutions with accredited programs will be phased into the new fee structure and will begin paying the new visiting team and institutional fee the year following their next regularly scheduled on-site visit. Until that time they will pay the visiting fee and annual fee currently in effect.

If more than three visiting team members are required for any visit or if a follow-up on-site visit is required then the institution will be billed for actual travel costs for the extra team member(s) or for the follow-up visit. "Actual travel costs" for each extra team member(s) shall be determined by dividing the total travel costs by the number of team members.

Accreditation fees are due and payable by institutions thirty (30) days after receipt of invoice. Accreditation will be automatically withdrawn from institutions with fees six (6) months in arrears. Accreditation status will be reinstated (for the specific period initially granted) only by action of the Board of Accreditation.

3.7 Self-Study Report

The institution will submit to the visiting team (one copy of all materials per team member), at least 30 days prior to the visit, an extensive Self-Study Report describing all aspects of their program(s) in Industrial Technology. The format for, and content required in, this Report is included in Section 8 of this Accreditation Handbook.

3.8 Visiting Team Report
Within 45 days after an accreditation visit to an institution, the team chair shall submit a written report to the chair of the Board of Accreditation, the Executive Director, and the head of the institution whose program was evaluated. The text of the report shall be kept confidential, except at the discretion of the head of the institution. The head of the institution or his/her representative may submit corrections relating to the factual accuracy of the report.

3.9 Board of Accreditation Action

The Executive Director will distribute visiting team reports, and institutional responses to those reports, to all members of the Board of Accreditation approximately 30 days prior to its annual meeting. The Board will review and act on each visiting team report at its annual meeting. The head of the institution, or his/her representative, may attend the Board meeting and briefly address the Board. The chair of the visiting team or a team member will be requested to attend the Board meeting. The Board may take action to accept the recommendations of the visiting team or may reach other decisions.

The final action by the Board of Accreditation will be reported:

orally (upon request) by the Board chair after the Board hearing to an institutional representative who may be in attendance at the hearing.

by letter by the Executive Director to the head of the institution and the head of the program visited, within 30 days after the Board meeting. In cases where any adverse accrediting action was taken by the Board, this letter will include a statement of the reasons for the adverse action along with a copy of the appeals procedure. This letter also will indicate the reporting requirements for related accrediting agency status which are covered under Section 3.16.

by letter to the appropriate regional accrediting association.

in Association publications, if the action is to grant accreditation or reaccreditation.

3.10 Accreditation Publicity

An institution may indicate National Association of Industrial Technology accreditation only during the period of such accreditation. Institutions may not publicize that they have either "applied for accreditation" or that they are a "candidate for accreditation." All institutional references to accreditation must clearly specify the program(s) for which accreditation has been received.

3.11 Appeals Request

The head of an institution may submit to the Executive Board chair a request to have the Appeals Board review the terms of accreditation imposed by the Board of Accreditation based on the criteria described in 2.2.1.

3.12 Review of Complaints

Complaints against an accredited program will be investigated if the complaint is submitted in writing, with appropriate documentation, to the chair of the Board of Accreditation. The complaint will first be referred to and reviewed by the Accreditation Personnel Committee, and a decision will be made by this committee on whether to pursue the complaint. Only complaints relating to the violation of standards will be pursued. If the decision is made not to review the complaint, the individual(s) submitting the complaint will be notified (within 30 days of receipt of the complaint) of this decision, and the institution against whom the complaint is lodged will be notified (within 30 days of receipt of the complaint) that a complaint was received and a decision was made not to pursue it. If a decision is made to pursue the complaint, the institution and program head will be notified (within 30 days of receipt of complaint) to respond to the complaint in writing. After receipt of the written response, the Accreditation Personnel Committee (within 30 days of receipt of the written response) may decide to refer the complaint to the Board of Accreditation for action, decide not to further pursue the complaint, or take other actions such as sending an approved consultant for an on-site visit. The consultant (within 30 days of the on-site visit) will submit a report and recommendation regarding the complaint for possible action by the Accreditation Personnel Committee or the Board of Accreditation. If, at this stage, the Accreditation Personnel Committee believes the institution has adequately refuted the complaint, or if the institution acknowledges the validity of the complaint and initiates appropriate and adequate action to correct the violation, the committee will act in a timely manner to notify the complainant and the institution of the resolution of the complaint. If the institution either does not adequately refute the alleged violations, or if it cannot or will not attempt to correct the alleged violations, the matter will be placed on the agenda for the next Board of Accreditation meeting for action or a special meeting of the Board will be called by the chair. Actions which may be taken by the Board of Accreditation include withdrawal of program accreditation. Every effort will be made to ensure that complaints are handled in a timely manner.

3.13 Review and Approval of Accreditation Policies, Procedures, and Standards

Responsibility for developing proposed policies, procedures, and standards (and the revision of existing materials) for the accreditation of Industrial Technology programs rests with the Association's Standards and Accreditation Committee. Final approval, authority, and responsibility for conducting the accreditation hearing process and revising accreditation policies, procedures, and standards has been delegated by the Executive Board to the Board of Accreditation. The Board shall conduct hearings at least every three years to review accreditation policies, procedures, and standards and shall seek input from institutions with accredited programs, institutions with non-accredited programs, accreditation team members and consultants, related agencies such as the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE), the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), and advisory board members for programs in accredited institutions (see Figure 3.1). Accreditation policies, procedures, and standards shall be printed in an Accreditation Handbook(s) and shall be available upon request to interested individuals and organizations.

Figure 3.1
Procedures for Revising Accreditation Handbook

1. Association Standards and Accreditation Committee receives external suggestions for revisions of accreditation policies, procedures, and standards.

2. Association Standards and accreditation Committee develops internal suggestions for revision of accreditation policies, procedures, and standards.

3. Association Standards and Accreditation Committee makes specific recommendations for change to the Board of Accreditation.

4. Board of Accreditation seeks written and verbal input from the following sources:

Institutions with accredited Industrial Technology Programs.
Institutions with Industrial Technology Programs that are not accredited.
Accreditation team members and consultants.
Advisory committee members from accredited institutions.
Related agencies such as ACCE and ABET.

5. Public hearings are conducted at the annual convention (at least every three years).

6. Board of Accreditation takes official action on policies, procedures, and standards.

7. The National Office publishes new policies, procedures, and standards. Copies are made available upon request.

3.14 Accreditation Status of Programs

The National Office maintains a list entitled "Accreditation Status of Programs" which identifies institutions with accredited programs, the programs at each institution which have been accredited, the accreditation status of each of the programs, and the date for the next scheduled review or reconsideration of accreditation. This list is made available to anyone requesting it.

In considering whether to grant initial accreditation status to a program, the National Association of Industrial Technology will take into account actions by other recognized agencies which have denied accreditation or preaccreditation status to the institution or program, have placed the institution or program on public probationary status, or have revoked the accreditation status of the institution or program(s). Further, if any of the above actions take place during an accreditation period, the status of accreditation will be promptly reviewed to determine if there is cause to alter that status. It will be the responsibility of the head of the institution to notify the National Association of Industrial Technology of any change in institutional or program accreditation status during a period of accreditation.

3.16 Requests for Extensions

The Board of Accreditation may grant a one-year extension for the initial accreditation period or for the reaccreditation period. Such extensions are granted only in rare instances, and institutions submitting such a request must provide significant documentation of the reasons(s) for the request. Requests for extensions should be received in the NAIT National Office 45 days prior to the annual Board Meeting and one year in advance of the end of the accreditation or reaccreditation period for the institution. Any extensions granted will be applied toward the subsequent accreditation or reaccreditation periods.

3.17 Program Changes During an Accreditation Period

If the program(s) changes substantially during any period of accreditation, the institution must report these changes to the Board of Accreditation. If it appears to the Board the changes may have altered the compliance status of the program, the Board may require a more extensive report, or visit, on the changes and then review the accreditation status of the program.

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4. Accreditation Periods and Actions

4.1 Accreditation Periods

The initial period for program accreditation shall be four (4) years while the reaccreditation period shall be six (6) years.

4.2 Accreditation Actions

The Board may take action to grant "Accreditation" or "Non-Accreditation" status. Non-Accreditation status indicates that a program does not substantially comply with NAIT standards. If "Accreditation" status is granted and a program does not fully meet or exceed standards then the Board may require a report or a report and an on-site visit in two years.

4.2.1 Written Progress Report: If a program substantially meets standards but has minor deficiencies and/or weaknesses that can be easily corrected in a two year period, the Board can require a Written Progress Report in two years on those standards that were in partial and non-compliance. If at the end of the two year period the Board determines that progress has not been made the program can be moved to "Non-Accreditation" status, another Written Progress Report may be required in two years, or another Written Progress Report and on-site visit may be required in two years. All Written Progress Reports must be submitted to the NAIT National Office forty-five (45) days prior the annual NAIT Conference.

4.2.2 Written Progress Report and On-Site Visit: If a program substantially meets standards but has serious deficiencies and/or weaknesses that must be corrected, the Board can require a Written Progress report and an on-site visit in two years on those standards that were in partial or non-compliance. If at the end of the two year period the Board determines that progress has not been made the program can be moved to "Non-Accreditation" status, another Written Progress Report may be required in two years, or another Written Progress Report and on-site visit may be required in two years. If an on-site visit is required the Written Progress Report must be sent to the visiting team member (usually the previous team chair) thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled visit.

4.3 Loss of Accreditation

If a program receives "Non-Accreditation" status, any subsequent application for reaccreditation shall be considered as an initial application and the maximum period of accreditation shall be four (4) years.

4.4 New Programs in Institutions with NAIT Accredited Programs

The Board of Accreditation may, in order to keep all programs on the same accreditation schedule, grant initial accreditation for up to six years for new programs in institutions having other NAIT accredited programs.

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5. Standards for Accreditation - Associate Degree Programs

The objective of accreditation is to ensure that programs in Industrial Technology which are accredited meet or exceed established standards. Consideration will be given to both the qualitative and quantitative criteria set forth in these standards.

5.1 Preparation of Self-Study Report

Self-Analysis: The Self-Study Report shall follow the established guidelines and be completed by a representative portion of the institution's administrative staff, teaching faculty, and students.

5.2 Philosophy and Objectives

5.2.1 Mission: The department, college or division, and institutional mission shall be compatible with the approved definition of Industrial Technology.

5.2.2 Program Definition: The major program definition and purpose shall be compatible with the approved definition of Industrial Technology.

5.2.3 Program Acceptance: Each major program shall be understood and accepted by appropriate individuals and representative groups within the internal college or university community and the external business and industrial community.

5.2.4 Program Goals: Each major program shall have clearly written short and long range goals and objectives, which are consistent with the mission statements, and plans for achieving them.

5.3 Major Programs

5.3.1 Program Name: Each major program and/or program option shall have appropriate titles (titles such as business, engineering, or education that imply the focus of the program is in a related field of study are not appropriate).

5.3.2 Program Level: The major program shall lead to the associate degree, and must prepare individuals who will be employed in positions that contribute to the design and development, production, distribution, or operational support of complex technical systems. Programs designed for transfer to baccalaureate level Industrial Technology programs will also be considered.

5.3.3 Program Definition: The major program may have more than one option, specialization, or concentration but specific course requirements for each option shall be clearly specified, and all program options shall meet or exceed NAIT standards. Certain standards, such as follow-up studies of graduates, may not be appropriate for new options within established major programs and a waiver may be granted by the Board of Accreditation upon the recommendation of the visiting team.

5.3.4 Program Emphasis: Primary emphasis in the major program shall reflect the technology and/or management practices of contemporary industry.

5.3.5 Foundation Requirements: Major programs shall be a minimum of 60 semester hours (or equivalent) and must meet the minimum foundation requirements shown in Table 5.1. Programs may exceed the maximum foundation requirements specified in each area, but appropriate justification shall be provided for each program and/or program option that exceeds the maximum limits. A specific list of courses and credit hours that are being counted toward each category shall be included in the Self-Study Report.

Table 5.1
Major Programs
Minimum - Maximum Foundation Requirements

Content Categories Semester Hours

Communications - Must include one course in written communication and one course in oral communication 6 - 8

Mathematics 4 - 12

Physical Sciences 4 - 12

Management - Quality Control, Production Planning and Control, Industrial Supervision, Industrial Finance and Accounting, Industrial Safety Management, Facilities Layout and Materials Handling, Time and Motion Study, Industrial Communications, Business Law, Marketing, etc. and/or
Technical - Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Computer Aided Design, Electronics, Materials Testing, Computer Technology, Packaging, Construction, Manufacturing Processes, etc. 36 - 42

General Electives 0 - 10

5.3.6 Course Sequencing: There shall be evidence of appropriate sequencing of course work in each major program to ensure that concepts covered in beginning level course work are applied in advanced level courses.

5.3.7 Application of Mathematics and Science: Appropriate applications of the principles of mathematics and science shall be evident in technical course work.

5.3.8 Computer Applications: The major program shall include instruction on computer applications and the use of computers for technical problem solving.

5.3.9 Communications: Oral presentations and technical report writing shall be evident in course requirements.

5.3.10 Industrial Experiences: Each major program shall include appropriate industrial experiences such as industrial tours, work-study options, cooperative education, or seminars focusing on problem- solving activities related to industrial situations.

5.3.11 Competency Identification: Competencies shall be identified for each major program, including all available options, which are relevant to employment opportunities available to graduates.

5.3.12 Competency Validation: Validation of major program outcomes/student competencies shall be an on-going process and shall be accomplished through a combination of external experts, an industrial advisory committee(s), and follow-up studies of program graduates. Documentation of this validation shall be provided in the Self-Study Report.

5.3.13 Program Development, Revision and Evaluation: Major program development, revision, and evaluation shall involve currently enrolled students, individuals responsible for instruction, program graduates, and representative employers.

5.3.14 Transfer Course Work: Institution and/or department policies shall be used to evaluate course work transferred from other institutions. All programs/options, including those with a significant amount of transfer course work, must meet the minimum credit hour foundation course requirements (Tables 5.1 and 6.1) in each category.

5.3.15 Institutional Course Work: Students shall be required to take a minimum of 12 semester hours of Management and/or Technical course work at the institution seeking program accreditation.

5.3.16 Program Publicity: Adequate and Accurate Public Disclosure: Institutions shall broadly and accurately publicize, particularly to prospective students: (a) Industrial Technology program goals and objectives, (b) preadmission testing or evaluation requirements and standards, (c) assessment measures used to advance students through the program(s), (d) educational achievement rates of graduates, and (e) fees and other charges.

5.3.17 Legal Authorization: Only institutions and programs legally authorized under applicable state law to provide a program beyond the secondary level are considered for accreditation.

5.3.18 Level of Instruction: All course work taken to meet program requirements must be college level. Evidence such as standardized tests or the transferability of coursework to baccalaureate level institutions shall be presented to ensure that courses in communications, mathematics, and the sciences are college level.

5.4 Instruction

5.4.1 Study Guides: Study guides which clearly describe appropriate course objectives, content, references utilized, student activities, and evaluation criteria shall be available for each course (the visiting team shall be provided with examples of student's graded work).

5.4.2 Reference Materials: Appropriate reference books, library materials such as periodicals, audio-visual materials, and computer application software (when appropriate) shall be utilized for each course or series of courses to supplement textbooks or course packs.

5.4.3 Program Balance: Appropriate laboratory activity shall be included in the program(s) and a reasonable balance must be maintained in course work between the practical application of "how" and the conceptual emphasis of "why."

5.4.4 Problem-Solving Activities: Emphasis in instruction shall be appropriately focused on problem-solving activities which reflect contemporary industrial situations.

5.4.5 Motivation of Students: Effective motivation of students shall be evident.

5.4.6 Supervision of Instruction: Appropriate supervision of instruction shall be evident throughout the program.

5.4.7 Scheduling of Instruction: The organization and scheduling of instruction shall allow adequate time for completion of appropriate homework assignments and laboratory problem-solving activities.

5.5 Faculty

5.5.1 Full-Time Faculty: Each major program and program option shall have an adequate number of appropriately qualified full-time faculty. Faculty qualifications shall include emphasis upon: (a) extent, recency, and pertinence of academic preparation, (b) extent, recency, and pertinence of industrial experience (such as technical production, distribution, support, or management), and (c) membership and participation in organizations that provide support for, and contribute to, the body of knowledge of Industrial Technology.

5.5.2 Minimum Faculty Qualifications: The minimum academic qualifications for a full-time regular faculty member (except in unusual circumstances which must be individually justified) shall be a bachelor's degree in a discipline closely related to the faculty member's instructional assignments.

5.5.3 Selection and Appointment Policies: Policies and procedures utilized in the selection and appointment of regular faculty shall be clearly specified and shall be conducive to the maintenance of high quality instruction.

5.5.4 Tenure and Reappointment Policies: Faculty tenure and reappointment policies and procedures shall be comparable to other professional program areas in the institution. Requirements in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarly activity shall be clearly specified for faculty in Industrial Technology.

5.5.5 Faculty Loads: Faculty teaching, advising, and service loads shall be comparable to the faculty in other program areas at the institution. Consideration shall be given in faculty teaching load assignments to high contact hours resulting from laboratory teaching assignments.

5.6 Students

5.6.1 Admission and Retention Standards: Admission and retention standards shall be established to ensure that students enrolled are of high quality. These standards shall compare favorably with the institution's standards. Sources of information may include admission test scores, secondary school rankings, grade point averages, course syllabi, course examinations, written assignments, and oral presentations.

5.6.2 Scholastic Success of Students: Students in Industrial Technology shall have scholastic success comparable to those in other curricula in the institution. Grading practices in Industrial Technology courses shall be comparable to other departments and/or programs in the institution. Evidence shall be presented to indicate the scholastic achievement level of Industrial Technology students in both basic studies and major course work.

5.6.3 Placement of Graduates: The initial placement, job titles, job descriptions, and salaries of graduates shall be consistent with the program(s) goals and objectives. The advancement of graduates within organizations shall be tracked to ensure advancement to positions of increasing responsibility. Industry's reaction to graduates as employees must be favorable. Follow-up studies of graduates shall be conducted every two to five years. Summary statistics relating to follow-up studies of graduates shall be made available to prospective students. These statistics shall include placement rates as well as salary levels of program graduates.

5.6.4 Advanced Study: If an objective of the program(s) is to prepare students for transfer to baccalaureate level programs, then the success of students in baccalaureate level programs shall be tracked and confirmed.

5.6.5 Student Evaluation of Program(s): Evaluations of the Industrial Technology program(s) shall be made by its graduates on a regular basis (two to five years). Their reactions and recommendations shall be considered in program revisions.

5.6.6 Student Enrollment: Enrollment shall be adequate in each program area to operate the program(s) efficiently and effectively. The level of available resources shall be considered as a constraint on the maximum number of qualified students to be admitted to the program(s). Enrollment shall be tracked, and factors affecting enrollment patterns shall be identified and analyzed. Enrollment projections shall be made which closely relate to short and long-range goals and resource needs.

5.6.7 Advisory and Counseling Services: Adequate and timely advising and counseling services shall be available for students.

5.6.8 Ethical Practices: Ethical practices shall be fostered, including equitable student tuition refunds and nondiscriminatory practices in admissions and employment.

5.7 Administration

5.7.1 Program Administration: Programs in Industrial Technology are expected to have an identifiable, qualified individual with direct responsibility for program coordination and curriculum development. This individual shall be a full-time employee of the institution.

5.7.2 Administrative Leadership: Individuals assigned to administer Industrial Technology programs must demonstrate effective leadership and satisfactory support for Industrial Technology.

5.7.3 Administrative Support: There must be appropriate support for Industrial Technology from the personnel holding leadership positions in the departments and colleges where Industrial Technology is administratively located.

5.8 Facilities and Equipment

5.8.1 Adequacy of Facilities and Equipment: Physical facilities and equipment, which are adequate and appropriate to serve the goals and objectives of the program(s), shall be available for each program option. Where facilities and equipment appear to be minimal to support a quality program(s), comparisons with support levels for other relevant programs at the institution will be made by the visiting team.

5.8.2 Support for Facilities and Equipment: Facility and equipment needs shall be reflected in the long range goals and objectives for the program(s), and sources of potential funding shall be identified.

5.8.3 Appropriateness of Equipment: Equipment shall be appropriate to reflect contemporary industry. Use of equipment reflecting current technology practices shall be evident.

5.9 Computer Systems

5.9.1 Availability of Computer Systems: Computer systems shall be available to students and faculty to cover functions and applications in each program area. These systems may be on or off-site and centralized or decentralized as long as the systems are accessible to students and faculty by means of remote terminals and/or input-output devices.

5.9.2 Utilization of Computer Systems: Evidence shall be available which indicates that students and faculty are making adequate use of computer systems.

5.10 Financial Resources

5.10.1 Financial Support: The budget for the Industrial Technology program(s) shall be adequate to support program objectives. When judging adequacy, the visiting team may wish to make comparisons with the support levels given to other professional programs at the institution.

5.10.2 External Financial Support: There shall be evidence of external support for the program(s) in Industrial Technology. However, this external support shall be treated as supplementary support and be used to achieve and maintain a high level of excellence. This external support shall not be used to displace funding support normally provided by the institution.

5.11 Library Services

5.11.1 Library Resources: The administrative unit containing the Industrial Technology program(s) and/or the institutional library shall maintain a collection of Industrial Technology literature and reference materials adequate to meet the curriculum and research needs of students and faculty.

5.11.2 Utilization of Library Resources: Evidence shall be available which indicates that students and faculty are making adequate and appropriate use of library resources.

5.12 Support Personnel

Support Personnel: Personnel such as teaching assistants, student work-study assistants, secretaries, and service technicians shall be adequate to support program objectives.

5.13 Placement Services

5.13.1 Placement Services: Appropriate services shall be available to assist with the placement of program graduates. Placement of graduates shall be tracked and the effectiveness of the services shall be evaluated by the administrative unit containing the Industrial Technology program(s).

5.13.2 Cooperative Education: If cooperative education is either a required or an elective part of the program then appropriate services shall be provided to assist with the placement and supervision of cooperative education students.

5.14 Industrial Advisory Committee(s)

5.14.1 Program Advisory Committee(s): An industrial advisory committee shall assist in the validation of program content. If more than one major program or program option is available, then appropriately qualified industrial representatives shall be added to the committee or more than one committee shall be maintained. Evidence shall be presented to indicate the: (a) procedures used in selecting members, (b) length of appointment, (c) organization of the committee, (d) committee responsibilities, (e) frequency of meetings, and (f) methods of conducting business.

5.14.2 Advisory Committee Meetings: The industrial advisory committee(s) shall meet at least once each year and appropriate minutes shall be kept of these meetings showing agenda items, actions taken, and recommendations made.

5.15 Educational Innovation

Educational Innovation: There shall be evidence that innovation furthering program objectives is being carried out in the administrative unit housing the Industrial Technology program. This includes developing and testing new learning approaches and technologies and disseminating the results.

5.16 Assessment

Assessment Plan and Integration: An assessment plan shall be comprised of, but not limited to, the following for each program: (1) program mission statement, (2) the desired program outcomes/student competencies, (3) evidence that the program incorporates these outcomes/student competencies, (4) the assessment measures used to evaluate student mastery of the student competencies stated, (5) compilation of the results of the assessment measures, and (6) evidence that these results are used to improve the program.

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6. Standards for Accreditation - Baccalaureate Degree Programs

6.1 Preparation of Self-Study Report

Self-Analysis: The Self-Study Report shall follow the guidelines and be completed by a representative portion of the institution's administrative staff, teaching faculty, and students.

6.2 Philosophy and Objectives

6.2.1 Mission: The department, college, and institutional missions shall be compatible with the approved definition of Industrial Technology.

6.2.2 Program Definition: The major program definition and purpose shall be compatible with the approved definition of Industrial Technology.

6.2.3 Program Acceptance: Each major program shall be understood and accepted by appropriate individuals and representative groups within the internal university community and the external business and industrial community.

6.2.4 Program Goals: Each major program shall have clearly written short and long range goals and objectives, which are consistent with the mission statements, and plans for achieving them.

6.3 Major Program(s)

6.3.1 Program Name: Each major program and/or program option shall have appropriate titles (titles such as business, engineering, or education that imply the focus of the program is in a related field of study are not appropriate).

6.3.2 Program Level: The major program shall lead to the baccalaureate degree, and not less than the junior and senior years of baccalaureate level study shall be offered by the institution seeking accreditation. Appropriate lower division requirements may be offered by the same institution or may be transferred from other institutions including community colleges and technical institutes.

6.3.3 Program Definition: The major program may have more than one option, specialization, or concentration; but specific course requirements for each option shall be clearly specified, and all program options shall meet or exceed NAIT standards. Certain standards, such as follow-up studies of graduates, may not be appropriate for new options within established major programs and a waiver may be granted by the Board of Accreditation upon the recommendation of the visiting team.

6.3.4 Program Emphasis: Primary emphasis in the major program shall reflect the technology of contemporary industry.

6.3.5 Foundation Requirements: Major programs shall be a minimum of 120 semester hours (or equivalent) and must meet the minimum foundation requirements shown in Table 6.1. Programs may exceed the maximum foundation requirements specified in each area, but appropriate justification shall be provided for each program and/or program option that exceeds the maximum limits. A specific list of courses and credit hours that are being counted toward each category shall be included in the Self-Study Report.

Table 6.1
Major Programs
Minimum - Maximum Foundation Requirements

Content Categories Semester Hours

General Education - Humanities, English, History, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Speech, etc. 18-36

Mathematics - Algebra, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Calculus, Statistics, Computer Science, etc. 6-18

Physical Sciences - Physics, Chemistry, etc. 6-18

Management - Quality Control, Production Planning and Control, Industrial Supervision, Industrial Finance and Accounting, Industrial Safety Management, Facilities Layout and Materials Handling, Time and Motion Study, Industrial Communications, Business Law, Marketing, etc.. 12-24

Technical - Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Computer Aided Design, Electronics, Materials Testing, Computer Technology, Packaging, Construction, Manufacturing Processes, etc. 24-36

Electives 6-18

6.3.6 Course Sequencing: There shall be evidence of appropriate sequencing of course work in each major program to ensure that advanced level courses build upon concepts covered in beginning level course work.

6.3.7 Application of Mathematics and Science: Appropriate applications of the principles of mathematics and science shall be evident in technical course work.

6.3.8 Computer Applications: The major program shall include instruction on computer applications and the use of computers for technical problem solving.

6.3.9 Communications: Oral presentations and technical report writing shall be evident in course requirements.

6.3.10 Industrial Experiences: Each major program shall include appropriate industrial experiences such as industrial tours, work-study options and cooperative education, or senior seminars focusing on problem-solving activities related to industrial situations.

6.3.11 Competency Identification: Competencies shall be identified for each major program, including all available options, which are relevant to the employment opportunities available to graduates.

6.3.12 Competency Validation: Validation of major program outcomes/student competencies shall be an on-going process and shall be accomplished through a combination of external experts, an industrial advisory committee(s), and follow-up studies of program graduates. Documentation of this validation shall be provided in the Self-Study Report.

6.3.13 Program Development, Revision, and Evaluation: Major program development, revision, and evaluation shall involve currently enrolled students, individuals responsible for instruction, program graduates, and representative employers.

6.3.14 Transfer Course Work: Institution and/or department policies shall be used to evaluate course work transferred from other institutions. All programs/options, including those with a significant amount of transfer course work, must meet the minimum credit hour foundation course requirements (Tables 5.1 and 6.1) in each category.

6.3.15 Upper Division Course Work: Students shall successfully complete a minimum of 15 semester hours of junior or senior level major courses at the institution seeking program accreditation.

6.3.16 Program Publicity - Adequate and Accurate Public Disclosure: Institutions shall broadly and accurately publicize, particularly to prospective students: (a) Industrial Technology program goals and objectives, (b) preadmission testing or evaluation requirements and standards, (c) assessment measures used to advance students through the program(s), (d) educational achievement rates of graduates, and (e) fees and other charges.

6.3.17 Legal Authorization: Only institutions and programs legally authorized under applicable state law to provide a program beyond the secondary level are considered for accreditation.

6.4 Instruction

6.4.1 Study Guides: Study guides which clearly describe appropriate course objectives, content, references utilized, student activities, evaluation criteria, and a range of examples of student's graded work shall be available for each course.

6.4.2 Reference Materials: Appropriate reference books, library materials such as periodicals, audio-visual materials, and computer application software (when appropriate) shall be utilized for each course or series of courses to supplement textbooks or course packs.

6.4.3 Program Balance: Appropriate laboratory activity shall be included in the program(s) and a reasonable balance must be maintained in course work between the practical application of "how" and the conceptual emphasis of "why."

6.4.4 Problem-Solving Activities: Emphasis in instruction shall be appropriately focused on problem-solving activities which reflect contemporary industrial situations.

6.4.5 Motivation of Students: Effective motivation of students shall be evident.

6.4.6 Supervision of Instruction: Appropriate supervision of instruction shall be evident throughout the program.

6.4.7 Scheduling of Instruction: The organization and scheduling of instruction shall allow adequate time for completion of appropriate homework assignments and laboratory problem-solving activities.

6.5 Faculty

6.5.1 Full-Time Faculty: Each major program option shall have an adequate number of appropriately qualified full-time faculty. Program faculty qualifications shall include emphasis upon extent, recency, and pertinence of: (a) academic preparation, (b) industrial professional experience (such as technical supervision or management), (c) applied industrial experience (such as technical applications), (d) membership and participation in appropriate Industrial Technology professional organizations, and (e) scholarly activities.

6.5.2 Minimum Faculty Qualifications: The minimum academic qualifications for a tenure track faculty member (except in unusual circumstances which must be individually justified) shall be a bachelor's and master's degree in a discipline closely related to the faculty member's instructional assignments.

6.5.3 Academic Preparation of Faculty: A minimum of fifty percent of the regular full-time faculty members assigned to teach in the major program(s) shall have an earned doctorate (exceptions to this standard will be granted only for unique programs such as Marine Transportation). If more than one major program exists at an institution, this standard will apply to all regular full-time faculty assigned to teach major programs in Industrial Technology at the institution. The Board may grant exceptions to this standard if the institution has a program in place that will bring the institution into compliance within a reasonable time.

6.5.4 Selection and Appointment Policies: Policies and procedures utilized in the selection and appointment of regular faculty shall be clearly specified and shall be conducive to the maintenance of high quality instruction.

6.5.5 Tenure and Reappointment Policies: Faculty tenure and reappointment policies and procedures shall be comparable to other professional program areas in the institution. Requirements in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarly activity shall be clearly specified for faculty in Industrial Technology.

6.5.6 Faculty Loads: Faculty teaching, advising, and service loads shall be comparable to the faculty in other professional program areas at the institution. Consideration shall be given in faculty teaching load assignments to high contact hours resulting from laboratory teaching assignments.

6.6 Students

6.6.1 Admission and Retention Standards: Admission and retention standards shall be used to ensure that students enrolled are of high quality. These standards shall compare favorably with the institutional standards. Sources of information may include admission test scores, secondary school rankings, grade point averages, course syllabi, course examinations, written assignments, and oral presentations.

6.6.2 Scholastic Success of Students: Students in Industrial Technology shall have scholastic success comparable to those in other curricula in the institution. Grading practices in Industrial Technology courses shall be comparable to other departments and/or programs in the institution. Evidence shall be presented to indicate the scholastic achievement level of Industrial Technology students in both basic studies and major course work.

6.6.3 Placement of Graduates: The initial placement, job titles, job descriptions, and salaries of graduates shall be consistent with the program(s) goals and objectives. The advancement of graduates within organizations shall be tracked to ensure advancement to positions of increasing responsibility. Industry's reaction to graduates as employees must be favorable. Follow-up studies of graduates shall be conducted every two to five years. Summary statistics relating to follow-up studies of graduates shall be made available to prospective students. These statistics shall include placement rates as well as salary levels of program graduates.

6.6.4 Graduate Studies: If an objective of the program(s) is to prepare students for graduate studies, then the success of Industrial Technology graduates in graduate programs shall be tracked and confirmed.

6.6.5 Student Evaluation of Program(s): Evaluations of the Industrial Technology program(s) shall be made by its graduates on a regular basis (two to five years). Their reactions and recommendations shall be considered in program revisions.

6.6.6 Student Enrollment: Enrollment shall be adequate in each program area to operate the program(s) efficiently and effectively. The level of available resources shall be considered as a constraint on the maximum number of qualified students to be admitted to the program(s). Enrollment shall be tracked, and factors affecting enrollment patterns shall be identified and analyzed. Enrollment projections shall be made which relate closely to short and long-range goals and resource needs.

6.6.7 Advisory and Counseling Services: Adequate and timely advising and counseling services shall be available for students.

6.6.8 Ethical Practices: Ethical practices shall be fostered, including equitable student tuition refunds and nondiscriminatory practices in admissions and employment.

6.7 Administration

6.7.1 Program Administration: Programs in Industrial Technology are expected to have an identifiable, qualified individual with direct responsibility for program coordination and curriculum development. This individual should be a full-time employee of the institution.

6.7.2 Administrative Leadership: Individuals assigned to administer Industrial Technology programs must demonstrate effective leadership and satisfactory support for Industrial Technology.

6.7.3 Administrative Support: There must be appropriate support for Industrial Technology from the personnel holding leadership positions in the departments and colleges where Industrial Technology is administratively located.

6.8 Facilities and Equipment

6.8.1 Adequacy of Facilities and Equipment: Physical facilities and equipment, which are suitable to serve the goals and objectives of the program(s), shall be available for each program option. Where facilities and equipment appear to be minimal to support a quality program(s), comparisons with support levels for other relevant programs at the institution will be made by the visiting team.

6.8.2 Support for Facilities and Equipment: Facility and equipment needs shall be reflected in the long range goals and objectives for the program(s), and sources of potential funding shall be identified.

6.8.3 Appropriateness of Equipment: Equipment shall be appropriate to reflect contemporary industry.

6.9 Computer Systems

6.9.1 Availability of Computer Systems: Appropriate computer systems shall be available to students and faculty to cover appropriate functions and applications in each program area. These systems may be on or off-site and centralized or decentralized as long as the systems are accessible to students and faculty by means of remote terminals and/or input-output devices.

6.9.2 Utilization of Computer Systems: Evidence shall be available which indicates students and faculty are making adequate and appropriate use of computer systems.

6.10 Financial Resources

6.10.1 Financial Support: The budget for the Industrial Technology program(s) shall be adequate to support program objectives. When judging sufficiency, the visiting team may wish to make comparisons with the support levels given to other professional programs at the institution.

6.10.2 External Financial Support: There shall be evidence of external support for the program(s) in Industrial Technology. However, this external support shall be treated as supplementary support and be used to achieve and maintain a high level of excellence. This external support shall not be used to displace funding support normally provided by the institution.

6.11 Library Services

6.11.1 Library Resources: The administrative unit containing the Industrial Technology program(s) and/or the institutional library shall maintain a collection of Industrial Technology literature and reference materials adequate to meet the curriculum and research needs of students and faculty.

6.11.2 Utilization of Library Resources: Evidence shall be available which indicates that students and faculty are making adequate and appropriate use of library resources.

6.12 Support Personnel

Support Personnel: Personnel such as teaching assistants, student work-study assistants, secretaries and service technicians shall be adequate to support program objectives.

6.13 Placement Services

6.13.1 Placement Services: Appropriate services shall be available to assist with the placement of program graduates. Placement of graduates shall be tracked and the effectiveness of the services shall be evaluated by the administrative unit containing the Industrial Technology program(s).

6.13.2 Cooperative Education: If cooperative education is either a required or an elective part of the program, then appropriate services shall be provided to assist with the placement and supervision of cooperative education students.

6.14 Industrial Advisory Committee(s)

6.14.1 Program Advisory Committee(s): An industrial advisory committee shall assist in the validation of program content. If more than one major program or program option is available, then appropriately qualified industrial representatives shall be added to the committee or more than one committee shall be maintained. Evidence shall be presented to indicate the: (a) procedures used in selecting members, (b) length of appointment, (c) organization of the committee, (d) committee responsibilities, (e) frequency of meetings, and (f ) methods of conducting business.

6.14.2 Advisory Committee Meetings: The industrial advisory committee(s) shall meet at least once each year, and appropriate minutes shall be kept of these meetings showing agenda items, actions taken, and recommendations made.

6.15 Educational Innovation

6.15.1 Educational Innovation: There shall be evidence that innovation furthering program objectives is being carried out in the administrative unit housing the Industrial Technology program. This includes developing and testing new learning approaches and technologies and disseminating the results.

6.16 Assessment

Assessment Plan and Integration: An assessment plan shall be comprised of, but not limited to, the following for each program: (1) program mission statement, (2) the desired program outcomes/student competencies, (3) evidence that the program incorporates these outcomes/student competencies, (4) the assessment measures used to evaluate student mastery of the student competencies stated, (5) compilation of the results of the assessment measures, and (6) evidence that these results are used to improve the program.

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7. On-Site Visitation Procedures and Guidelines

7.1 Advance Preparation

Selection and approval of team members and team chair.
Accreditation Handbook(s) sent by National Association of Industrial Technology (at least three months before visit) to the program administrator.
Completed Self-Study Report and departmental and institutional material (including a catalog for general information) to be distributed to visiting team members one month in advance of visit.
Faculty assembles course outlines, sample student assignments, textbooks, and examinations.
The team chair and institutional contact person cooperatively develop the on-site schedule including facility tours, interviews, and writing time.

7.2 Initial Team Meeting

The team will meet with the institutional contact and program head early in the evening prior to the first day to: (a) review objectives of accreditation, (b) briefly review accreditation materials and materials provided by the institution, (c) make assignments of final report topics to team members, (d) establish time schedules (appointments and class observations), (e) discuss the "general information" of the self-study report with institutional contact person, and (f) interview program head.

7.3. First Day Schedule

Tour laboratories, classrooms, offices, and other physical plant areas with the instructor(s) responsible for each laboratory.

Conduct short faculty interviews, by individual team members, so all faculty members are interviewed individually. Interview topics will include faculty member opinions of the Industrial Technology program(s) regarding its: (a) role or function, (b) strengths, and (c) areas for possible improvement.

Conduct short interviews with several groups of two to three representative students using the same topics as above.

Observe a sampling of lectures, laboratories, and related instruction.

Review curriculum outlines, textbooks, sample student assignments, examinations, and grading standards.

Solicit input from advisory committee members.

7.4 Second Day Schedule

Conduct brief individual team member interviews on campus with selected administrators including the institution head (or his/her representative), dean, and those with responsibility in areas such as curriculum, finance, personnel, library, physical plant, planning, support service disciplines, and others.

Make phone calls or visits with industry and college personnel who are regularly associated with the Industrial Technology program.

Document team member reactions to department responses to standards and make comparisons between team member observations and interviews and information in self-study report.

Final meeting of team to review and agree upon major findings and recommendations to be included in the final report.

Make an informal verbal report to the designated highest administrative person, the institutional contact person, and the program head before leaving the campus. This concludes the team on-site visit.

7.5 Post-Visit Actions

Within two weeks, the team chair edits the Team Report and sends copies to team members for review, correction, and return mailing within one week of receipt of the report.

The visiting team chair sends a draft copy (marked "Draft Copy") of the Visiting Team Report to the institutional contact person for review and correction of factual errors. The institutional representative must respond within two weeks of receipt of the "Draft Copy."

The team chair then edits a final draft of the confidential Visiting Team Report and mails it to the institution's head, the chair of the National Association of Industrial Technology Board of Accreditation and the National Association of Industrial Technology executive director within 45 days of the accreditation visit. Copies are also sent to each team member. A cover letter to the institution's head will indicate how the institution may officially respond to the factual accuracy of the Report and will include appeal procedures.

The Report is reviewed by the National Association of Industrial Technology Board of Accreditation at its annual meeting. The institution's official reactions to the Team Report will be considered at this time. If the institution wishes the Board to review brief written materials related to the factual accuracy of the visiting team report, such materials must be sent to the National Association of Industrial Technology Executive Director 45 days prior to the Board of Accreditation meeting.

The National Association of Industrial Technology Board of Accreditation takes action as it deems appropriate according to the accreditation guidelines.

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8. Guidelines for Institutional Self-Study Report

The institution must complete and submit a Self-Study Report which is a qualitative assessment of the strengths and limitations of the program(s), including the achievement of program and institution objectives. The following outline shall be used in developing the report:

Institutional Self-Study Report

The On-Site Visit
1. Date of the Visit
2. Visiting Team Members
3. Proposed On-Site Visit Agenda
4. Current Accreditation Status of Program(s)
General Information
1. The Institution
  1. Name and Address
  2. Number of Students Enrolled
    1. Total
    2. Full-time
    3. Part-time
    4. Full-time Equivalent
  3. Total Full-Time Equivalent Faculty
  4. Operating Budget
    1. Current
    2. Five-Year History
  5. Institutional Accreditation Organization(s) and Dates of Accreditation. (Note: an institution shall document any actions taken by other accrediting agencies which have either denied to the institution or program accreditation or preaccreditation status, have placed the institution or program on public probationary status, or have revoked the accreditation or preaccreditation status of the institution or program.)
  6. History of Accreditation by the National Association of Industrial Technology
  7. Administration of the Institution
    1. Head
    2. Chief Academic Officer (provide name and address)
  8. Major Academic Units within the Institution
  9. Institutional Mission and Goals
  10. Relationship of Institution to Superior Governing Body
2. Administrative Unit(s) Information
  1. Name and Address of College and/or Department Administrative Unit(s)
  2. Name(s) of Dean and/or Department Head
  3. Names of other Departments in Administrative Unit
  4. Name of Program Head(s)
  5. Names and Titles of Others with Program Administration and/or Coordination Responsibility
  6. Titles of Degrees, Programs, and Concentrations for which Accreditation is being Requested
Compliance With Standards
The information contained in this section of the Self-Study Report shall deal specifically with how each program and option meets each standard. The institution is responsible for providing information which clearly illustrates how the standard and subsections of each standard are being met. Each standard shall be listed by number and typed in bold or underlined and shall be followed by a description of how each program and option complies with the standard. An example of the appropriate format is shown below:

5.1 Preparation of Self-Study Report
Self-Analysis: The Self-Study Report shall follow the established guidelines and be completed by a representative portion of the institution's administrative staff, teaching faculty, and students.
Program Name - Option Name
(Describe here how this Program/Option complies with standard)
Program Name - Option Name
(Describe here how this Program/Option complies with standard)
Program Name
(Describe here how this Program complies with the standard)

IV. Appendices The following appendices should be a part of the institution's Self-Study Report:

Appendix A (include courses of study for Industrial Technology major program(s).
Appendix B (include list of recent graduates with current job titles and employers).
Appendix C (faculty resumes).
Appendix D (miscellaneous related materials).

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9. Guidelines for Visiting Team Report

The visiting team report shall be a qualitative assessment regarding the accuracy of the institutional self-study report and an analysis of program and option compliance with standards. The following outline shall be used in developing the report:

Visiting Team Report

The On-Site Visit
1. Date of the Visit
2. The Visiting Team
3. On-Site Visit Agenda
4. Current Accreditation Status of Program(s)
General Information
1. The Institution (Briefly summarize institutional information)
2. Administrative Unit(s) Information (Briefly summarize administrative unit information)
Compliance With Standards
The information in this section shall describe how each program and option complies with, or fails to comply with each standard. Each standard shall be listed by number and typed in bold or underlined and shall be followed by a declarative statement indicating the team's evaluation of how a program or option complies with the standard. The final line in the narrative for each standard shall indicate the visiting team's evaluation of whether the program or option is in non-compliance, partial compliance, or compliance. An example of the appropriate format is shown below:
5.4.3 Program Balance: Appropriate laboratory activity shall be included in the program(s) and a reasonable balance must be maintained in course work between the practical application of "how" and the conceptual emphasis of "why."
Program Name - Option Name
Each course that contains a laboratory component was listed in the Self-Study Report. The manner for listing lecture and lab hour requirements is as follows: (2-4-4). This number arrangement indicates that the course has two hours of classroom work, four hours of laboratory, and four semester hours of credit is granted. The courses listed suggested that the courses included in the curriculum have a reasonable balance of practical application of "how" and the conceptual emphasis of "why." Students stated that lab hours were adequate to achieve their goals. Instructors as well as graduate assistants are available to conduct lab activities. There was evidence of activities demonstrating projects in progress during the tour of labs.
Compliance.
Program Name - Option Name
(Provide narrative for this Program/Option)
5.13.1 Placement Services: Appropriate services shall be available to assist with the placement of program graduates. Placement of graduates shall be tracked and the effectiveness of the services shall be evaluated by the administrative unit containing the Industrial Technology program(s).
Program Name - Option Name
Through the Centralized Placement Office , services are available to assist Industrial Technology students in obtaining employment upon graduation. Opportunities for career days, resume writing, interview skills, and accommodations for company recruiters are all available through the centralized office. It appears there needs to be a more effective way to track graduates of the Industrial Technology program since little data was available on placement of graduates. The Placement Office and the Industrial Technology Department need to more effectively address the tracking issue.
Partial Compliance
Program Name - Option Name
(Provide narrative for this Program/Option)
Summaries and Recommendations
1. Summaries:
  1. List of Standards in Compliance
    (a standard in compliance meets all the criteria of the standard)
  2. List of Standards in Partial Compliance
    (a standard in partial compliance meets most of the stated criteria for the standard, but has weaknesses or deficiencies that need to be corrected)
  3. List of Standards in Non-Compliance
    (a standard in non-compliance fails to substantially meet the criteria of the standard)
2. Visiting Team Recommendation
  (the recommendation should include accreditation level and conditions)

Figure 9.1
Cover Sheet for Visiting Team Report

Industrial Technology
Visiting Team Report
for the
National Association of Industrial Technology

Central Community College
Boston, MA
Dr. James T. Stone, President
April 6 - 8, 1999

Previous NAIT Accreditation(s): Visiting Team Members:

October, 1977 Mr. John Doe (Team Chair)

October, 1981 IBM Corporation

October, 1987

October, 1993 Dr. I. M. Academic

State University

Current Accreditation Request Date: Dr. S. V. Program

November 2, 1995 Independent University

Date of Accreditation Self-Study Report:

February 10, 1996 Program(s) Reviewed (with options):

Manufacturing Technology

Date of Visiting Team Report: Construction Technology

April 30, 1996 Communication Technology

Industrial Technology
Options:
Electronics
Design
Industrial Distribution

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10. Guidelines for Progress Reports

Progress reports for NAIT accredited programs shall include narrative on each standard that was found to be in partial or non-compliance by the Board of Accreditation. One copy of the report is due in the NAIT National Office by September 1 of the year the report is to be reviewed by the Board of Accreditation. Reports shall include the following:

Title Page: The title page shall include: 1) the title of the report which shall be "Accreditation Progress Report," 2) the name of the institution and the name and address of institution head, 3) the name of the department housing the program(s), 4) the name(s) of the program(s), and 5) the date the report was submitted to the NAIT National Office.

Table of Contents: A table of contents is optional. If a table of contents is included it should include a list of standards in partial compliance followed by a list of standards in non-compliance. The table of contents would appear as follows:

Table of Contents

Standards in Partial Compliance:

Standard 5.3.5	page 2
Standard 5.3.16	page 2
Standard 5.4.7	page 3

Standards in Non-Compliance:

Standard 5.6.1	page 6
Standard 5.9.1	page 7
Standard 5.10.1	page 8

Reports on Standards: The narrative on each standard that is in partial or non-compliance shall include the following parts: 1) Standard: the standard shall be listed by number and typed in bold or underlined, 2) Visiting Team Report: the complete narrative used in the visiting team report to describe the status at the time of the visit shall be included followed by the rating given by the Board of Accreditation (Partial Compliance or Non-Compliance), and 3) Current Program Status: a narrative is included describing the current status of the program as it relates to the standard. The format for reports on standards would appear as follows:

6.13.1 Placement Services: Appropriate services shall be available to assist with the placement of program graduates. Placement of graduates shall be tracked and the effectiveness of the services shall be evaluated by the administrative unit containing the Industrial Technology program(s).

Visiting Team Report: While the placement services offered by the department and university placement services office are excellent, the tracking of graduates is inadequate. The response of the Industrial Technology program graduates to the initial follow-up is less than half that of the university as a whole, according to Placement Office statistics; and the departmental tracking system is also inadequate. Thus, information is not available to determine the long term success of students. (Board of Accreditation Rating - Partial Compliance).

Current Program Status: The Department has established a computerized database of graduates and initiated an annual follow-up survey of graduates. Data is being compiled and tracked in a longitudinal manner. Also, we now maintain a continually updated display/record of business cards on graduates as a supplement to the annual surveys and use the display to encourage participation by graduates in the annual survey. Therefore, the long term success of our graduates is now being tracked in a regular and systematic manner.

APPENDIX A

Request for Accreditation or Reaccreditation Form

APPENDIX B

Notification of Team Assignments and Visitation Dates Form

Content Categories	Semester Hours
Communications - Must include one course in written communication and one course in oral communication	6 - 8
Mathematics	4 - 12
Physical Sciences	4 - 12
Management - Quality Control, Production Planning and Control, Industrial Supervision, Industrial Finance and Accounting, Industrial Safety Management, Facilities Layout and Materials Handling, Time and Motion Study, Industrial Communications, Business Law, Marketing, etc. and/or Technical - Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Computer Aided Design, Electronics, Materials Testing, Computer Technology, Packaging, Construction, Manufacturing Processes, etc.	36 - 42
General Electives	0 - 10

Content Categories	Semester Hours
General Education - Humanities, English, History, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Speech, etc.	18-36
Mathematics - Algebra, Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Calculus, Statistics, Computer Science, etc.	6-18
Physical Sciences - Physics, Chemistry, etc.	6-18
Management - Quality Control, Production Planning and Control, Industrial Supervision, Industrial Finance and Accounting, Industrial Safety Management, Facilities Layout and Materials Handling, Time and Motion Study, Industrial Communications, Business Law, Marketing, etc..	12-24
Technical - Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Computer Aided Design, Electronics, Materials Testing, Computer Technology, Packaging, Construction, Manufacturing Processes, etc.	24-36
Electives	6-18

Previous NAIT Accreditation(s):	Visiting Team Members:
October, 1977	Mr. John Doe (Team Chair)
October, 1981	IBM Corporation
October, 1987
October, 1993	Dr. I. M. Academic
	State University

Current Accreditation Request Date:	Dr. S. V. Program
November 2, 1995	Independent University

Date of Accreditation Self-Study Report:
February 10, 1996	Program(s) Reviewed (with options):
	Manufacturing Technology
Date of Visiting Team Report:	Construction Technology
April 30, 1996	Communication Technology
	Industrial Technology Options: Electronics Design Industrial Distribution