AIC Earns National Nursing Accreditation

SPRINGFIELD — American International College’s undergraduate Nursing program has received recognition from a national accrediting board. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has granted the nursing program at AIC initial accreditation for the next five years, the maximum time allowed for new members.

The CCNE, officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national accreditation agency, serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a specialized, professional accrediting agency, CCNE is designed to evaluate and make judgments about the quality of baccalaureate and graduate-degree programs at accredited colleges and universities.

Anne R. Glanovsky, director of the Division of Nursing at AIC, said accreditation by CCNE means that nursing peers have recognized AIC as having a high-quality, professional Nursing program. “It is gratifying to receive such recognition from leaders in the nursing profession,” she said.

The AIC Nursing program had been continuously accredited by the National League for Nursing since 1985, but Glanovsky said they decided it was time to apply for accreditation through CCNE. “We felt because of our implementation and growth in the Nursing master’s program, the CCNE would be a more appropriate accrediting body.”

The initial accreditation is for five years, with subsequent accreditations lasting up to 10 years.

“The accreditation was the result of a lot of hard work by the staff and faculty,” she said. “It’s a long, arduous process, but it was well worth it.”

AIC President Vince M. Maniaci said he is proud of the work done by the Division of Nursing. “I consider it a tribute to the efforts of our entire Nursing department, including Carol Jobe, dean of the School of Health Sciences, as well as Anne Glanovsky and her faculty,” he said.

The accreditation process includes a self-study report, visitation, and review by a separate board. In the self-study document, the program identifies its strengths, its performance with respect to student achievement, and areas for improvement, as well as its plans to address continuous improvement.