Institutional Accreditation Salem University (Salem) has been accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1963(when it was known as the North Central Association). HLC can be contacted at 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604, http://www.hlcommission.org or by telephone 800.621.7440 HLC is one of six regional accreditation bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Salem’s headquarters and campus are located at 223 West Main Street in Salem, West Virginia, which is within HLC’s region of authority. State Authorization Salem is authorized by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission in accordance with the West Virginia Codeof State Rules (CSR), Title 133, Series 20, Authorization of Degree Granting Institutions. The WVHEPC can be contacted via http://www.wvhepc.edu or by telephone 304.558.2101. Salem also is authorized by the Indiana Board for Proprietary Education, 101 West Ohio Street, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46204-4206. The BPE can be contacted via www.in.gov/bpe/ or by telephone 317.232.1033. Salem is approved to offer distance education courses and programs by the Higher Learning Commission as well as being a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NCSARA may be contacted via http://www.nc-sara.org or by telephone 303.848.3275. Business Program Accreditation In January 2018, the School of Business was awarded full initial accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). This was achieved after a period of candidacy and after a thorough site visit by peer evaluators. ACBSP can be contacted via http://www.acbsp.org or by telephone 913.339.9356. Education Program Accreditation In May 2022, Salem’s School of Education was awarded accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP can be contacted at http://www.caepnet.org or by telephone 202.223.0077. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator preparation programs at Salem; however, this accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, re-licensure, or other purposes. The School of Education received national program recognition for its graduate level educational leadership programs through the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC). ELCC is the CAEP Specialized Professional Association (SPA) for leadership preparation and is governed by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA), http://www.npbea.org. Salem’s educator preparation programs leading to licensure have been approved by the West Virginia Board of Education, a division of the West Virginia Department of Education, since their inception, most recently in conjunction with CAEP accreditation process. WVDE may be contacted via https://wvde.state.wv.us or by telephone 304.558.2681 Nursing Program Accreditation Associate Degree in Nursing Program Salem University, Associate Degree in Nursing Program (delivered via distance education), is accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037. 202-909-2487. The ASN program is offered in a hybrid format with didactic courses delivered online, clinical experiences at clinical agencies, and lab experiences and testing delivered on campus. RN-BSN Program The Salem University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) program, delivered via distance education, by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037. Master of Science in Nursing Program Salem University, Master of Science in Nursing Program (delivered via distance education), is accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037. 202-909-2487. While there are many important factors when choosing a nursing education program, national accreditation should be a crucial decision-making factor when pursuing any nursing degree. Below are the main reasons it is important to enroll in a nationally accredited nursing program. National Accreditation of Nursing Programs: Is a process that evaluates the quality of nursing programs to determine if they are meeting specific state and national standards. Nursing programs that are nationally accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education, such as CNEA, ensure the public that their program is held to a common set of standards of quality across the United States. This process improves the quality of nursing education, creates a culture of continuous improvement of academic quality, keeps the curriculum up to date on current trends and advances in nursing and healthcare, and greatly enhances the overall quality of care administered by nurses that graduate from a nationally accredited program. Attending a National Accredited Nursing School: Enables students to be eligible for funding support from federal and state agencies, and foundations. Is required by many nursing programs for admission to graduate programs. Is required by some state regulatory agencies for their nursing employees. Assists employers seeking graduates who are competent practitioners. Facilitates the transfer of credit using the following considerations: The educational quality of the institution from which the student transfers; The comparability of the nature, content, and level of credit earned from the programs offered by the receiving college or program; The appropriateness and applicability of the credit earned from the programs offered by the receiving college or program. . Membership Salem is a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), an association of over 3,000 institutions that is a national advocate and institutional voice for promoting academic quality through accreditation. CHEA can be contacted via http://www.chea.org or by telephone 202.955.6126.