A Call to Action: Strengthening Accreditation for U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Institutions of Higher Education

• In Event: 44.084 - Roundtable Session 18
  In Roundtable Session: 44.084-8 - International Issues in Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this scholarly paper is to address an issue that has been largely overlooked in either higher education research or institutional research. Despite over a century of colonization, conquest, and military control, the U.S.-affiliated Pacific and postsecondary institutions, activities and concerns have not been substantially addressed. We aim to place Pacific postsecondary education in a broader historical, political and social context. In doing so, we offer an alternative perspective on the accreditation process for these institutions, taking into account how multiple forces intertwine to produce a unique situation that is typically overlooked by evaluation entities.

Authors

• Natasha A Saelua, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Joy Hannibal, Michigan State University