PAASCU Higher Education Commissions Hold Online Retooling Program for Team Chairs

The six Higher Education Commissions of PAASCU conducted an online retooling program for current and prospective team chairpersons on July 9, 2026, drawing forty-seven participants from member institutions nationwide. The activity, themed The Art of Team Leadership in Accreditation: Clarity, Coordination, Credibility, responded to the growing demands on accreditation leaders in an increasingly digital and evidence-driven environment.
In her welcome remarks delivered on behalf of the PAASCU Board of Trustees, Sr. Marissa R. Viri, RVM, underscored the relational nature of accreditation and the crucial role of team chairs in upholding quality assurance and service to schools. She highlighted clarity, coordination, and credibility as key qualities for PAASCU team leaders—clarity in interpreting standards and communicating expectations, coordination in drawing out the strengths of team members and managing visits smoothly, and credibility built on rigorous, consistent, and integrity-based processes.
The morning sessions focused on the 23 PAASCU Standards and their role in ensuring that accreditation remains firmly anchored on evidence. Resource persons walked participants through the full trajectory of a PAASCU visit, from applying standards to institutional data to managing teams and facilitating consensus during deliberations. Particular attention was given to the responsibilities of team chairs when leading high-stakes engagements with schools, including how to guide discussions, balance differing perspectives, and maintain fairness in judgment.
In the afternoon, the program shifted to ethical and leadership concerns that arise in accreditation practice. Participants revisited PAASCU’s expectations on avoiding conflicts of interest and handling ethical dilemmas, followed by a workshop on crafting comprehensive team chair reports and conducting effective post-accreditation wrap-up and closing meetings. Sessions also tackled the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the preparation of accreditation reports, reinforcing that any use of digital tools must remain transparent, ethical, and aligned with PAASCU’s standards of integrity.
The retooling program was organized with the support of PAASCU commissions, speakers, facilitators, and the Secretariat, whose collective efforts ensured a well-structured and interactive online training. Special appreciation was extended to Dr. Lucille Calairo and Ms. Jane Bayotlang for spearheading the initiative and overseeing its preparations. By the end of the day, participants came away with renewed confidence in their leadership roles, deeper insight into ethical and technical aspects of accreditation, and a reinforced commitment to clarity, coordination, and credibility in service of PAASCU’s mission.