Interim Reports

Accreditation is an ongoing process that involves more than an evaluation visit every given number of years. Policies and Procedures III.E states: “In response to a comprehensive or focused evaluation visit or to some other information received (e.g., report or formal complaint), the Board may require one or more reports if it judges that an accredited school should supply additional information or needs to improve in one or more areas. Requiring a report is not an indication that a school does not meet a standard, unless it is a report required in conjunction with a public sanction.”  Among the more common types of interim reports required by the Board are those dealing with evaluation, finances, governance, and planning, though the range of topics can be quite broad (from enrollment to faculty workload).

Each submission must include (1) a cover letter on official school letterhead signed by an appropriate school official, typically the president or dean, and (2) the interim report (2–10 pages). The signed cover letter must cite the original action from the ATS Board of Commissioners—including the topic(s) that the report is to cover, as well as the dates when the report was originally requested and when it is due. Following the cover letter, the interim report must include evidence that the Board's concern has been or is being addressed. The report should be organized in a clear and readable manner (e.g., a separate header for each report topic or subtopic), with any extended documentary support provided in a separate appendix. The most helpful reports are those that focus clearly and concisely on the issue(s). Including too much information can be unhelpful, yet sufficient information is needed in order for readers unfamiliar with the school to understand its interim report in context. Reports that cover simple issues may be as brief as 2–5 pages, while those addressing more complex issues might be 5–10 pages, plus a separate appendix.

All reports are due by email on or before the date specified by the ATS Board of Commissioners (paper copies are no longer required nor accepted). The cover letter and interim report are to be submitted as a single PDF document. (Any appendices are to be combined into a separate, consolidated, and bookmarked PDF file.) Schools must email the interim report to the accrediting records coordinator (with optional copy to the ATS Commission staff liaison). A school needing to submit multiple reports with a shared deadline should send the immediately relevant materials in separate email messages, each with one or two PDF files attached.

Reports may be addressed by Commission staff (see Policies and Procedures VI.A.6) or by the full Board or a committee of the Board (see Policies and Procedures V.C.1-3), with a response typically within a few months of submission. Please contact the accrediting records coordinator for any questions about reports.