In Praise of the Commission for Public Higher Education

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | December 4, 2025 | Keller Moore

[karpov]

Complaints about the Commission for Public Higher Education’s (CPHE) proposed solutions to accreditation problems are unwarranted.

This October, the Chronicle of Higher Education ran an article titled “Will the Commission for Public Higher Education Be a ‘Serious’ Accreditor?,” voicing concerns about higher education’s most recent innovation.

Touted most famously by Ron DeSantis, the CPHE, a brainchild of six Southern university systems (including the UNC System), aims to “advance the quality and improvement of higher education by accrediting … state public universities that are incorporated, chartered, licensed, or authorized in the United States.” The first cohort of CPHE applicants was announced at a recent Florida Board of Governors meeting. North Carolina’s applicants are UNC Charlotte, App State, and NC Central.

The CPHE was formed in response to traditional accreditors’ lackluster performance.

America’s seven federally recognized accrediting commissions determine whether a college or university meets preset standards concerning “student outcomes, responsible governance, and continuous improvement.” American higher-learning institutions must be accredited before they can receive federal funding, making the seven commissions powerful gatekeepers.

[PeterPrinciple]

The CPHE was formed in response to traditional accreditors’ lackluster performance.

America’s seven federally recognized accrediting commissions determine whether a college or university meets preset standards concerning “student outcomes, responsible governance, and continuous improvement.” American higher-learning institutions must be accredited before they can receive federal funding, making the seven commissions powerful gatekeepers.

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there are seven accrediting commissions. All on the same page I assume.