Stephen Shiring standing with two representatives of the Ivy Tech Accreditation ProgramHospitality Management Chair Stephen Shiring and site team conducted a two day inquiry of the Ivy Tech Indianapolis Hospitality Administration Program to verify accreditation compliance. They met with Ivy Technical Community College senior administrators, alumni, current students, faculty, department administration, and members of their Hospitality Industry Advisory Committee as part of the investigative review of the program for accreditation.

After two days of investigative inquiry seeking information to verify compliance against the nine criteria defined by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration, the team delivered its report to the Ivy Tech senior administration, faculty, and department administration. The report will be sent to the 11-member board of ACPHA Commissioners for their consideration to grant accreditation to the Ivy Tech Indianapolis Hospitality Administration Program.

Ivy Technical Community College was founded in 1963 as Indiana Vocational Technical College. Today, they are the state of Indiana's only full-fledged community college, the largest public post-secondary institution, and the largest single-accredited statewide community college system in the country. The Indianapolis campus offers programs in seven different schools providing for more than 100 transfer programs with in-state and out-of-state schools. Ivy Tech is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The Hospitality Management Program offers career and technical certifications and degree options in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, and Hospitality Management with areas of emphasis in Restaurant Management, Hotel Management, Event Management, and Beverage Management. The program is accredited by ACPHA and the American Culinary Federation and has over 500 enrolled students.

ACPHA is a private, nonprofit body that is comprised of hospitality, tourism and business professionals from across the country. Its composition ensures that the Commission is completely independent and impartial. The main responsibility of the Commission is to conduct the accreditation hearings to verify that those agencies applying for accreditation comply with the applicable standards.

The IUP Department of Hospitality Management is the premier Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism and Special Event undergraduate program in the region and the largest program in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The Department of Hospitality Management is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration.