WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley, chair of the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC) and president of the Higher Learning Commission, today issued the following statement upon the conclusion of the U.S. Department of Education’s negotiated rulemaking on higher education issues:
"After months of hearings and negotiations, I am pleased that we have reached consensus on several proposals that will help strengthen our nation’s higher education system while maintaining appropriate oversight, rigor, and accountability. My C-RAC colleagues and I appreciated the opportunity to actively participate in the discourse and explore critical regulations that affect institutional quality, transparency, and innovation. We believe the final provisions lay the foundation for improvements that will benefit students, protect taxpayers, and encourage additional flexibility for institutions, and we are grateful for the collective commitment to students demonstrated by all negotiators throughout this process."
During the rulemaking, Dr. Gellman-Danley served on the Accreditation and Innovation Committee and Dr. Elizabeth Sibolski, vice chair of C-RAC and president of the Middle States Commission, served as an alternate. C-RAC members also contributed public comments and testified before the Department as part of the rulemaking process.
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The Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions is a collective of seven regional organizations responsible for the accreditation of roughly 3,000 of the nation’s colleges and universities. To learn more, visit www.c-rac.org.