Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education Amended Procedures for Accreditation   Substantive Change Irrespective of required annual reports, continuous improvement progress reports, or other reports, the program is required to notify CCNE of any substantive change affecting the nursing program. Substantive changes include, but are not limited to: change in legal status, control, ownership, or significant reduction in resources of the institution or program; change in status with state board of nursing or other accrediting or approval entity, including cases in which the program is placed on warning or probationary status by any regulatory body; change in degree offerings, program options, and track offerings (including the development, suspension or closing of a track); the addition of a new nursing degree (e.g., a master’s degree), when another nursing degree (e.g., a baccalaureate degree) is accredited by CCNE; the addition of courses that represent a significant change in method or location of delivery from those offered when CCNE last evaluated the program; significant change in faculty composition and size; significant change in student enrollment; significant change in teaching affiliations; major curricular revisions; and significant change in student achievement (see below). Consistent with the U.S. Secretary of Education’s Criteria for Recognition, CCNE has identified student achievement thresholds for nursing programs within its scope.  The CCNE accreditation standards require that nursing programs provide data related to student achievement (Standard IV).  If any of the following conditions exist with respect to student achievement, the program must submit a substantive change report--including a written explanation and action plan--to CCNE: degree completion rates for the baccalaureate or master’s program are less than 80% in the expected time period, as defined by the program; annual NCLEX-RN pass rates for all test takers (first time and repeat) over a three-year period are less than 80% (CCNE recognizes that many state regulatory agencies establish minimum licensure thresholds, and that these vary by state); job placement/employment rates for the baccalaureate or master’s program within 12 months following degree completion are less than 80%; and certification pass rates for all test takers (first time and repeat) for any specialty area over a three-year period are less than 80% (CCNE recognizes that many state regulatory agencies do not require national certification.). The substantive change report must be submitted to CCNE no earlier than 90 days prior to but no later than 90 days after implementation of the change. The substantive change report is submitted by the chief nurse administrator and must document the nature and scope of the substantive change.  The report also must document how, if at all, the change affects the program's compliance with the accreditation standards.  The substantive change report should not exceed five pages, unless otherwise negotiated with CCNE staff. The substantive change report is reviewed by the CCNE Executive Committee, which comprises the officers of the Board.  Upon review of the report, the committee may act to approve the change or may request additional information.  If warranted, the report is forwarded to the CCNE Board for review and action.  The Board’s review of a substantive change may result in additional reporting requirements, a focused or comprehensive on-site evaluation, or an adverse action. Continued accreditation of the program is contingent upon the chief nurse administrator's apprising CCNE of substantive changes in a timely manner.  The chief nurse administrator is encouraged to contact CCNE staff if there is a question about whether a particular change constitutes a substantive change. Amended 4/9/2008 Voluntary Withdrawal from Accreditation The pursuit of initial accreditation and the pursuit of reaccreditation are considered to be voluntary processes. An institution that seeks initial accreditation or reaccreditation of its baccalaureate or graduate nursing program is permitted to withdraw from these processes at any time. Upon receiving notification from an institution of its intent to withdraw from the accreditation process, the Commission will notify the U. S. Secretary of Education, regional accrediting agency, other applicable accrediting agencies, and the public of said action. If a program allows its accreditation to lapse, this is considered the same as voluntary withdrawal from accreditation. Amended 10/28/06 Disclosure The current published CCNE accreditation status of a baccalaureate or graduate nursing program is available upon request to any interested party and is also accessible via the CCNE Web site. The office of the U.S. Secretary of Education, regional and other accrediting agencies, appropriate state agencies, and the public are notified in writing within 30 days of any decision to grant initial accreditation or reaffirm accreditation, and any final decision involving an adverse accreditation action. In the case of a final decision involving an adverse accreditation action, such notification occurs at the same time the program is notified of the decision. The public notification is posted on the CCNE Web site and also is written in information distributed by CCNE. Within 24 hours of notifying an institution of any final adverse accreditation action, CCNE provides written notice of that action to the public. Within 60 days of any final adverse accreditation action, CCNE releases to the U.S. Secretary of Education, regional and other accrediting agencies, appropriate state agencies, and the public upon request, a brief summary of the reasons for the action and the comments, if any, received from the institution regarding the final action. All final accreditation decisions determined within the most recent year are announced in CCNE's annual report. CCNE also publishes annually a directory of accredited baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, and posts the directory on the CCNE Web site, which is updated twice yearly following the meetings of the CCNE Board. The accreditation status of the program, including the term and year of the program's next review for accreditation, is published in the directory and is also posted on the CCNE Web site. Copies of the CCNE annual report and the directory of accredited programs are furnished to the U.S. Secretary of Education. CCNE also is obliged to provide any other information requested by the U. S. Secretary of Education in accordance with the Secretary's Procedures and Criteria for Recognition of Accrediting Agencies. Such information shall include but not be limited to the name of any accredited program that CCNE believes is failing to meet its Title IV program responsibilities or is engaged in fraud or abuse along with the reasons for the concern by CCNE, and any proposed change to CCNE standards or procedures that is substantive in nature. If a program or institution elects to make a public disclosure of a program's accreditation status or preliminary approval status with CCNE, the program or institution must disclose that status accurately. The program or institution disclosing the information must identify the nursing degree program and its affiliation with CCNE. The U.S. Department of Education requires that this statement include the accrediting agency's full name, address, and telephone number. A generic example of an acceptable statement for an accredited program is as follows: The (baccalaureate and/or master's degree program in nursing) at (institution) is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 887-6791. Amended 10/28/06 CCNE Accreditation | AACN Home Copyright © 2008 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. All rights reserved.