Self Study Reports Collection

Collection

Call Number: UA050

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Scope and Contents

This collection contains reports and self-evaluations for the New England Association for Schools and Colleges and the Commission for Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

Dates

Creation: 1955 -- 2003

Creator

Tufts University (Organization)
School of Dental Medicine (Organization)

Language of Materials

English

Access

Open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Please see “Reproductions and Use” on the Digital Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permission to publish. Copyright to all materials created by Tufts University employees in the course of their work is held by the Trustees of Tufts University.

Biographical / Historical

Self-study reports are used in many accreditation processes as a way for institutions to document their own programs in order to assist reviewing bodies in determining whether those programs meet the criteria for approval. The Office of Institutional Research maintains a list of associations, agencies, and government bodies that accredit, approve, and license Tufts University and its programs, along with those programs’ accreditation status. Among them are the New England Association for Schools and Colleges and Commission for Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

The New England Association for Schools and Colleges (NEASC) was founded in 1885 by Charles William Eliot, President of Harvard University, as a professional organization to assess and ensure the quality of institutions of higher education. NEASC supports educational institutions in maintaining these high standards through a self-evaluation and peer review process. Prior to 1971, NEASC was known as the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. In 2018, NEASC underwent a corporate restructuring process to comply with the United States Department of Education’s mandate that its higher education commission (CIHE) operate as a “separate and independent entity.” As a result, the CIHE operates as the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), while the organization continues as NEASC.

Tufts University has been accredited by NEASC since 1929, and this status applies to the entire institution. NEASC requires member institutions to undergo regular evaluations, as well as a full accreditation visit at least once every ten years.

The Commission for Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA) was established in 1975, in response to the American Dental Association's Council on Dental Education’s recognition of the need for communities to have more direct representation in the accreditation process. Prior to that, the Council on Dental Education was the accrediting agency. CODA is the only body able to accredit post-secondary dental and dental-related educational programs for the United States Department of Education. The Dental Education program at Tufts has been accredited since 1945. CODA-accredited programs undergo periodic reviews, typically once every seven years.