INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION
Background
In 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation prohibiting UNC constituent institutions and North Carolina community colleges from receiving accreditation by an accrediting agency for consecutive accreditation cycles. Under this new law, colleges and universities must pursue a change in accreditors as their current accreditation cycles come to an end in the coming years.
In 2025, Governor Stein signed House Bill 358 (now Session Law 2025-92) into law, updating accreditation requirements for North Carolina’s community colleges. The new law removes the previous prohibition on receiving accreditation from the same accrediting agency in consecutive cycles. This change provides colleges with the option to either remain with their current accreditor or pursue a different one, depending on what best supports their institutional mission and students.
A community college that pursues accreditation with a different accrediting agency in accordance with this section shall pursue accreditation with a regional accrediting agency:
- Higher Learning Commission.
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
- New England Commission on Higher Education.
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
Resources
- Session Law 2025-92
- Session Law 2023-132 (superseded by Session Law 2025-92)
- GEN-25-03: Changes to the Approval Process for Changing Accrediting Agencies
- Request for Information
- CC24-010 Guidance for New Accreditation Process
- Accreditation Slide Deck
- NCCCS Accreditation Toolkit
2023 Request for Information Responses
- Responses:
- Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Timeline
| Date | Accreditation Action |
| October 2023 | North Carolina Session Law 2023-132 went into effect, prohibiting UNC institutions and NC community colleges from receiving accreditation by an accrediting agency for consecutive accreditation cycles. |
|
December 2023 |
UNC and NC Community Colleges system offices issued joint Request for Information (RFI) seeking accrediting agencies’ interest in adding NC’s institutions to their portfolios. |
| January 2024 | System offices met with the U.S. Department of Education (USED) staff to discuss timelines and processes. |
|
February 2024 |
Three accreditors responded to the RFI: · Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) · Higher Learning Commission (HLC) · Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) |
|
May 2025 |
New Dear Colleague Letter updates process to switch accrediting agency: |
|
August 2025 |
State Board Code updated to reflect that all colleges shall obtain and maintain accreditation with an agency or association that accredits institutions of higher education and in accordance with North Carolina law. |
|
September 2025 |
Session Law 2025-92 signed into law which removes the previous prohibition on receiving accreditation from the same accrediting agency in consecutive cycles. |
Reaffirmation Schedule
Accreditation Expiring in 2025
- Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Catawba Valley Community College
- Guilford Technical Community College
- Mayland Community College
- Stanly Community College
- Surry Community College
- Wake Technical Community College
- Wilson Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2026:
- Isothermal Community College
- Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
- Wayne Community College
- Wilkes Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2027:
- Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute
- Cape Fear Community College
- Craven Community College
- Durham Technical Community College
- Southwestern Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2028:
- Central Carolina Community College
- Coastal Carolina Community College
- Mitchell Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2029:
- Beaufort County Community College
- Blue Ridge Community College
- Brunswick Community College
- Edgecombe Community College
- Haywood Community College
- James Sprunt Community College
- Martin Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2030
- Carteret Community College
- Randolph Community College
- Robeson Community College
- Tri-County Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2031
- Fayetteville Technical Community College
- Halifax Community College
- McDowell Technical Community College
- Nash Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2032
- Cleveland Community College
- Gaston College
- Southeastern Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2033
- Bladen Community College
- Davidson-Davie Community College
- Forsyth Technical Community College
- Johnston Community College
- Pamlico Community College
- Piedmont Community College
- Pitt Community College
- Roanoke Chowan Community College
- Vance-Granville Community College
Accreditation Expiring in 2034
- Alamance Community College
- Central Piedmont Community College
- College of the Albemarle
- Lenoir Community College
- Montgomery Community College
- Richmond Community College
- Rockingham Community College
- Sampson Community College
- Sandhills Community College
- South Piedmont Community College
- Western Piedmont Community College