The purpose of accreditation has been defined in the SACS Handbook for Reaffirmation of Accreditation (2003) as:

"Accreditation in the United States is a voluntary and self-regulatory mechanism of the higher education community. It plays a significant role in fostering public confidence in the educational enterprise, in maintaining standards, in enhancing institutional effectiveness, and in improving higher education. It also provides the basis on which colleges and universities can be assured that accredited institutions have complied with a common set of requirements and standards."

There are many benefits to an institution that can be derived from participating in the internal assessment process to determine the extent of compliance with a set of requirements and standards. The accreditation process provides an institution with an opportunity to:

• Review its stated mission and its effectiveness in reflecting the values and aspirations of the institution;
• Determine the extent to which programs and services reflect an institution's mission;
• Evaluate the effectiveness of programs, services, and operations, using the analysis of compliance with the requirements and standards;
• Strive for a higher level of performance beyond the level that an institution determines constitutes compliance;
• Enhance and increase documentation and evidence demonstrating continuous improvement;
• Reinforce the concept that an institution must remain in compliance with all requirements and standards and treat accreditation as an ongoing process rather than episodic;
• Develop a Quality Enhancement Plan focused on an issue related to improving student learning; and
• Demonstrate its accountability to stakeholders and the public. (SACS Handbook, 2003)