What is AQIP?
AQIP stands for Academic Quality Improvement Program. AQIP is a branch of the Higher Learning Commission that blends continuous quality improvement with college and university accreditation. Launched in July 1999 with a generous grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Academic Quality Improvement Program infuses the principles and benefits of continuous improvement into the culture of colleges and universities by providing an alternative process through which an already-accredited institution can maintain its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. With AQIP, an institution demonstrates it meets accreditation standards and expectations through sequences of events that align with those ongoing activities that characterize organizations striving to improve their performance. Kaskaskia College became a member of AQIP in 2005.

• The AQIP (Academic Quality Improvement Program) requires an AQIP school to have three active action projects for completion every 12-24 months.
• The projects are selected based upon the identified needs of the College, its stakeholders, and employees and upon feedback from the systems portfolio.
• Each project is documented on AQIP’s website, the College’s AQIP website, and annual updates every fall. They are also detailed in the systems portfolio which is evaluated by AQIP reviewers every four years.
• At the end of seven years, AQIP will do an onsite quality checkup to offer suggestions and answer questions about the College’s AQIP process and progress.

Each AQIP project has a charter, sponsor, 1-2 chairpersons, and a project committee.

• The charter charges the committee with the AQIP project goals and objectives. The sponsor offers support and clears pathways for the Committee to complete its charge. The chairpersons guide the project, document progress, and provide reports and data for the annual updates.
• The committee designs, runs, and sees the project through to the retirement phase. As projects retire, a process must be in place for the project to be institutionalized.
• Subcommittees may be formed as needed at the committee’s recommendation.