Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied though a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution. Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210
Wakefield, MA 01880
E-mail: info@neche.org
2022 NECHE Re-Accreditation
The college completed its comprehensive NECHE Self-Study report and evaluation visit in 2021 and in March the college received a continued 10-year accreditation with the next comprehensive visit scheduled for 2031.
Key Documents:
- 2021 Comprehensive NECHE Self-Study (pdf)
- Joint Statement (pdf)
Program-Specific Accreditations
Automotive
The Automotive Technology program is accredited by the ASE Education Foundation (formerly the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation), an independent, non-profit organization with a single mission: To evaluate technician training programs against standards developed by the automotive industry and recommend qualifying programs for accreditation.
ASE Education Foundation
1503 Edwards Ferry Rd., NE
Suite 401
Leesburg, VA 20176
703-669-6650
www.aseeducationfoundation.org
Electrical Engineering
The Bachelor of Science degree program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, a nonprofit, non-governmental agency that accredits programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. ABET accreditation provides assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates.
ABET
415 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-347-7700
www.abet.org
Opticianry
The Opticianry program is accredited by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation. The Commission on Opticianry Accreditation (COA), a not-for-profit agency, accredits Opticianry education in the United States. The mission of the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation is to foster excellence in opticianry education by setting standards, assessing educational effectiveness, and identifying those academic programs that meet the standards, in order to aid programs to produce competent graduates who will provide professional services to the public. The COA accredits two-year Opticianry degree programs and one-year ophthalmic laboratory technology certificate programs in the United States and Canada that are sponsored by post-secondary institutions accredited by agencies recognized by the Department of Education or CHEA. The COA is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.
Opticianry Program Outcomes
The following tables indicate how many of our Opticianry students found jobs, graduated, and passed national certifications and state board exams through 2021.
| Year | Graduated | Percent Graduated (or on track to graduate) in 3 Years |
| 2018 | 13 (26 in starting cohort) | 50% |
| 2019 | 11 (17 in starting cohort) | 65% |
| 2020 | 8 (13 in starting cohort) | 62% |
| 2021 | 12 (25 in starting cohort) | 48% |
| 2022 | 9 (15 in starting cohort) | 60% |
| 2023 | 18 (32 in starting cohort) | 56% |
| American Board of Opticianry (ABO) Pass Rates | |||
| Class | Sitting for Exam | Passing | Percent Passing |
| 2018 | 15 | 12 | 80% |
| 2019 | 13 | 13 | 100% |
| 2020 | 13 | 12 | 92% |
| 2021 | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| 2022 | 8 | 7 | 88% |
| 2023 | 18 | 18 | 100% |
| National Contact Lens Registry Examination (NCLE) Pass Rates | |||
| Class | Sitting for Exam | Passing | Percent Passing |
| 2018 | 13 | 11 | 85% |
| 2019 | 9 | 8 | 89% |
| 2020 | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| 2021 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 2023 | 16 | 15 | 94% |
| Massachusetts State Licensing Exam Pass Rates | |||
| Class | Sitting for Exam | Passing | Percent Passing |
| 2018 | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| 2019 | 11 | 11 | 100% |
| 2020 | 12 | 11 | 92% |
| 2021 | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 2023 | 15 | 15 | 100% |
| Students Employed in Their Field | |
| Class | Percentage |
| 2018 | 83% |
| 2019 | 92% |
| 2020 | 70% |
| 2021 | 83% |
| 2022 | 100% |
| 2023 | 89% |
Commission on Opticianry Accreditation
PO Box 592
Canton NY, 13617
(703) 468-0566
www.coaccreditation.com
Professional Memberships
In addition to being nationally accredited, we’re institutionally networked so that our students, faculty, and staff will be, too. Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute is an active member of the following organizations:
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
- American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities, Massachusetts Chapter (AICOM)
- American Council on Education (ACE)
- Association of Hispanic Serving Institutions
- Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM)
- Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA)
- Browning the Greenspace
- College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
- Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
- Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)
- Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
- Massachusetts Business Roundtable
- National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC)
- National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)
- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)
- The College Board
- The New England Council
Additional Information
Student Complaints
The State of Massachusetts allows students the right to make a formal complaint to The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and they attempt to provide an avenue for informal resolution of matters concerning institutions. They cannot require an institution to take any specific action in a matter and cannot provide legal advice. However, once filed the college will be asked to follow the complaint process.
Complaint Process
The Board of Higher Education receives and refers complaints/inquiries to the specific college for clarification and response. It is the college’s Board of Trustees which has responsibilities for establishing and enforcing policies necessary for the management of the institution under its authority. The management will review the complaint and investigate each matter and will meet with the student.
Public Records
Under most circumstances, the text of the complaint/inquiry will be considered a public record, a copy of which is available to any member of the public upon request. However, identifying information (e.g., name, address, phone number, etc.) will not be disclosed. Furthermore, no part of the complaint/inquiry will be discussed in response to a request that asks specifically for a complaint/inquiry submitted by an individual. To submit a complaint, visit http://www.mass.edu/forstufam/complaints/complaints.asp
