The evaluator role within the accreditation process is crucial. ACICS evaluators are valued and recognized for the contributions they make to the peer review process.
Evaluators are classified as either member or public. Those affiliated with an ACICS-accredited institution are referred to as member evaluators and those not affiliated with an ACICS-accredited institution are referred to as public evaluators.
In addition to program specialists, team visits may include evaluators with expertise in student relations (SR), educational activities (ED), or distance education (DE).
The Council recognizes the value of volunteer service and shows its appreciation to its evaluation team members by granting an honorarium. Evaluators are also reimbursed for approved visit travel expenses as outlined in the Evaluator Travel Reimbursement Policy and Procedures.
For additional information on the accreditation process, go to www.acics.org/process.aspx. If you have questions regarding the role of the evaluator, e-mail evaluatormanager@acics.org or call us toll free at 866-510-0746.
You must meet the following qualifications in order to become an evaluator for ACICS.
Step 1 - Determine Your Eligibility
1. Five years experience and education in a specialty area or expertise. In addition, the following requirements must be met:
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a.
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Member evaluators must have experience in at least two areas of operation including instruction, admissions, financial aid, placement, and administration
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b.
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Student relations (SR) expertise requires experience calculating satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and familiarity with the Annual Institutional Report (AIR)
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c.
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Educational activities (ED) expertise requires five years experience at an administrative level and experience reviewing credentials of faculty assigned to teach general education courses
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d.
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Distance education (DE) expertise requires experience in the management, instructing and curriculum development of distance education programs
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Step 2 - Agree to ACICS Canons of Ethical Behavior and
Independent Contractor Agreement
Download and carefully read the following documents. Indicate your willingness to serve as an
evaluator by signing the Contractor Agreement form and submitting via e-mail.
Independent Contractor Agreement and Canons of Ethical Behavior
Step 3 - Submit Necessary Paperwork
ACICS requires a completed W-9 form and a current resume. Your resume should demonstrate five
years experience in your stated specialty fields or areas of expertise (please date your experience).
E-mail both documents to evaluatormanager@acics.org.
Step 4 - Register as an evaluator
Please complete the registration information. Once you have registered, log in and proceed to the
ACICS Online Store where you can sign up for the Evaluator Workshop.
Proceed to registration page.
Step 5 - Training
Effective January, 2010, evaluator training consists of three pre-recorded Go-To-Webinar modules and one live two hour Go-To-Webinar. Evaluator applicants are required to complete a survey following each webinar and submit it to evaluatormanager@acics.org as supporting evidence.
The final two hour live Go-To-Webinar is by invitation only.
Evaluators will receive a Go-To-Webinar invitation with the time, email link and telephone number two weeks prior to the scheduled webinar. The final two hour live Go-To-Webinars will be scheduled for the last Friday of every other month beginning in January. The time will be for a two hour period scheduled between 2:00 pm EST and 7:00 pm EST. Attendees will be limited to 16-20.
Will everyone who takes modules 1-3, be invited to attend module 4?
No. ACICS has key areas within the evaluator pool that are classified as areas of need. These areas of need include program specialties and areas of expertise (SR, ED, or DE). The areas of need will be posted on our website under Evaluators / Evaluator Menu / Areas of Need. ACICS will reserve space for program specialists, SR, ED, or DE evaluators in the areas of need first.
Could I be invited to the final live two hour Go-To-Webinar module even if I don’t have a specialty or area of expertise in the high need area?
Yes. When an area in the ACICS evaluator pool becomes saturated with qualified evaluators, it does not benefit ACICS or the evaluator since the probability of being asked on a visit is very limited. ACICS, therefore, reserves the right not to invite evaluators to complete the final training module if they do not fit the areas of need. If there is space available and an evaluator without a specialty or area of expertise in an area of need is invited to attend, ACICS reserves the right to place their status as INACTIVE. Evaluators in INACTIVE status will not be eligible to conduct visits but could be made ACTIVE if their areas of expertise or specialty fields become an area of need.
Can I listen to module 1,2 and 3 for professional development?
Yes. ACICS encourages any individual seeking further understanding of the evaluator process. Modules 1 thru 3 are available to the public and are free. Individual requests for certificates of attendance to module 1, 2 or 3 will be provided. Requests should be sent via email to evaluatormanager@acics.org with “Request for Certificate of Completion” in the email subject field. Please provide us with your name, the module or modules you are requesting a certification of completion for and the date you listened to the module(s). If you logged in using an email other than the one associated with the request, please state the email address used when viewing the modules so we can verify your attendance.
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3