Politicizing Accreditation in the South and Beyond

This webinar will discuss the implications of dropping independent accreditation systems for the state controlled Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE). Although its planning document includes some seemingly harmless language, the CPHE is dominated by powerful conservative politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who likely want to use it to extend their control of the State University System of Florida, the Texas A&M University System, the University System of Georgia, the University of North Carolina System, the University of South Carolina system, the University of Tennessee System, and other higher education systems in the south and beyond. This webinar will explore the historic importance of independent accreditation systems for maintaining professional norms and standards for public higher education and will examine the threats a politicized accreditation system poses to academic freedom, faculty voice in curriculum, and shared governance.