Accreditation is an evaluation process that higher education institutions and specific academic programs undergo in order to maintain standards of educational quality. Accredited institutions and accredited programs must commit to rigorous internal and external reviews, to ensure that accreditation standards are continually being met. Such standards look to university/programs resources, programming, and services in order to determine that they are sufficient to accomplish and sustain the purpose of the university/program. Institutional accreditation determines university eligibility for Title IV funds under the Higher Education Act (federal student financial aid) and may also be tied to grant funding for research. Tulane University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and has many programs that are accredited by programmatic accrediting organizations.
Other higher education compliance matters include adherence to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, state authorization requirements, disclosures related to professional licensure, and university academic policy initiatives.
