Briefing Letters: Spring 2007
National Association of Schools of Music
The following set of eleven briefing letters provides an overview of several issues associated with the relationship among institutions of higher education and accrediting organizations. Traditionally, this relationship was conceived and operated on the principle that each entity was independent, and independence was to be especially protected with regard to specific academic decisions.
Proposals generated from the federal Department of Education over the last several months challenge this concept of independence. Anticipating this development, Officers of the National Association of Schools of Music asked the association's Executive Director to inform NASM members of the issues and to provide analyses that reflected and noted underlying values and principles. The issues and therefore the letters deal with the accreditation system in general, not just NASM accreditation. The issues discussed affect every institution.
NASM authorizes the use of ideas or quotations from these briefing letters with or without attribution. You may also send the letters to others.
Queries about the briefing letters may be directed to Mark Marion (mmarion@arts-accredit.org).
Versions of the briefing letters for the fields of art and design, theatre, and dance are available, if interested, on the Web sites of NASAD, NAST, and NASD, respectively.
BRIEFING LETTER TEXTS
The eleven NASM briefing letters are listed below in the order they were presented to the Membership. Clicking on each will download the respective document as a PDF file. (NOTE: To view or print PDF files, you will need to have or install Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
- Briefing Letter 1 - February 5, 2007
Introduction of the issues for the higher education system
- Briefing Letter 2 - February 8, 2007
Freedom and independence of institutions of higher education and the accreditation system
- Briefing Letter 3 - February 15, 2007
Federal control of academic matters
- Briefing Letter 4 - February 21, 2007
Accreditation is important to the freedom and independence of individual institutions and programs
- Briefing Letter 5 - March 1, 2007
Results or "outcomes" in higher education and accreditation
- Briefing Letter 6 - March 21, 2007
Results or "outcomes" in terms of disciplinary or professional content
- Briefing Letter 7 - April 3, 2007
The public interest in higher education
- Briefing Letter 8 - April 11, 2007
Public information and accreditation
- Briefing Letter 9 - April 24, 2007
Definitions and concepts of student learning
- Briefing Letter 10 - May 14, 2007
Sources, natures, and purposes of improvement and innovation in higher education
- Briefing Letter 11 - May 22, 2007
Preservation of the fundamental values underlying the work of NASM and the other arts accrediting associations
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