The Cost Recovery fee schedule allows for an in-kind option that is available for institutions to use in lieu of paying the submission fee for Initial Program Review (IPR). This option is only available in lieu of fees for IPR proposals. It is the responsibility of the institution to indicate on the IPR Intent to Submit Form that the institution would like to use their two in-kind contributions to offset the cost of one IPR proposal. State law prohibits in-kind contributions from being used to offset the fees associated with annual accreditation fees and other non-IPR related cost recovery accreditation activities.  

Only Commission-approved program sponsors are eligible to earn an in-kind contribution and the individuals serving as in-kind reviewers must have completed Board of Institutional Review (BIR) training. The individuals may or may not be employed by the institution but must be the institution’s designee (volunteer reviewers). It is important to note that all individuals must first be eligible for the BIR as described in this document.  


 

How to Earn In-Kind Contributions

Two in-kind contributions are required to offset the cost of one IPR proposal. Institution designees must meet the following requirements for an institution to obtain each in-kind contribution: 

  1. Complete BIR Training

    a. BIR Training is a two-part training. Part One includes participation in Program Review or Common Standards Review. Part Two includes a two-day BIR training.
  2. Assume all costs associated with the review. (Travel expenses include airfare and/or ground transportation including mileage, lodging, meals, and incidentals for in-person reviews.) No reimbursement will be made to either the individual or the institution for any costs associated with attending and participating in reviews if the institution is earning the in-kind option. 
  3. Individuals (reviewers) may travel or review remotely and serve as a BIR-trained reviewer for one of the following accreditation activities: IPR or Initial Institutional Approval (IIA).
    a. It should be noted that these types of reviews often require several follow-up reviews which are completed remotely. The individual serving as a reviewer must finish the complete review process – both the initial review and any subsequent review – within the timelines set forth in the reviewer expectations provided to the review team.   

Reviewers will be assigned at the discretion of the Commission relevant to documents needing review. Contributions will only be awarded upon completion of the assigned accreditation activity. Once two in-kind contributions are earned by the institution’s designees, IPR fees can be waived for a future IPR proposal submitted by the institution. Two in-kind contributions are required in lieu of the fee for one IPR proposal.   

In-kind contributions may be earned over time. This will enable small institutions to participate in the in-kind option by acquiring contributions over multiple years.  

Two in-kind contributions are required to offset the cost of one IPR proposal. In-kind can be earned for the review of any type of program and be used to offset the cost of any type of proposed program.  

Reviewer Expectations

Institutions wishing to earn an in-kind contribution must ensure their designees are BIR trained and complete the entire review. Meaning, it is expected that the reviewer originally assigned will also complete subsequent reviews within the timeline established by the Commission. When the review is completed and the review team has found that the submission meets the Commission’s adopted standards, credit for an in-kind contribution can be earned. As with all reviews, the Commission may excuse any reviewer whose performance is not adequate for the assigned tasks. 

In some cases, institutions may not submit subsequent documentation for review for several months.  In the rare event that a review continues beyond one year or the Administrator of Accreditation determines that the documentation will not be aligned/approved, the reviewer may be released from the review and an in-kind contribution may be awarded for the review completed to that point in time, at the discretion of the Administrator of Accreditation. 

How to Use In-Kind Contributions

Institutions wishing to use in-kind contributions must accrue two contributions before submitting an IPR proposal to waive the Cost Recovery fee. Once two in-kind contributions have been earned, they may be used in lieu of fees for any one program proposal being submitted for IPR. An institution must indicate that it intends to use the earned in-kind contributions to waive the Cost Recovery Fees on the IPR Intent to Submit Form.  


 

 

 

Updated May 09, 2024