Accreditation Updates
Overview | Milestones | Preparation | Resources | Advisory Groups
Overview
WOU’s accreditation with the Northwest Commission of Colleges & Universities (NWCCU) is based on:
- Mission fulfillment, in light of our core themes of student success and academic excellence
- WOU’s mission is to provide lasting opportunities for student success through transformational education and personalized support.
- WOU”s Core Themes — our highest institutional priorities — are Student Success and Academic Excellence.
- The demonstrated effectiveness of our processes for planning, budgeting, assessment, and continuous improvement
- The adequacy of our resources and capacity
- NWCCU focuses on the process of continuous improvement — defining mission and objectives, establishing metrics and targets, monitoring progress, and making adjustments to improve student learning, achievement, and institutional effectiveness.
Why Accreditation?
- Higher education is a public good funded by taxpayers
- Through accreditation, a peer review process, we earn the public’s trust
Milestones in the seven-year evaluation cycle
Spring 2016: Year Seven Evaluation
- NWCCU Reaffirmation of Accreditation with Recommendations (July 2016) (WOU login required)
- NWCCU Evaluation Committee Recommendation Report (May 2016) (WOU login required)
March 2017: Year 1 Mission Fulfillment & Core Themes Report
- This report sets the stage for the upcoming accreditation cycle by defining mission, core themes and mission fulfillment.
- This report included responses to Recommendations 1, 2 and 3 from the 2016 Evaluation.
June 2017: NWCCU Commissioners convene
- Recommendations 1, 2 and 3 are fulfilled. Review of Mission and Core Themes Report is deferred until Mid-Cycle Review.
September 2017: Ad Hoc Self-Evaluation Report
- This report responded to Recommendations 4, 6 and 7 from the 2016 Evaluation.
- NWCCU Notification of Response
March 2019: 2019 Mid-Cycle Report
- This report appraises our readiness to effectively use institution-wide planning, budgeting, assessment and continuous improvement to fulfill our mission.
- This report includes the content of the Mission and Core Themes Report.
- This report includes a response to Recommendation 5 and updates on Recommendations 4, 6 and 7 from the 2016 Evaluation.
April 4-5, 2019: Mid-Cycle Visit
- This visit was an opportunity to share our plans and progress with a small team of peers and receive formative feedback.
June 2019: NWCCU Commissioners convene
- Mid-Cycle Report (along with Mission and Core Themes content) is accepted, and Recommendations 4, 5 and 6 are fulfilled.
- Recommendation 7 is continued as a single recommendation, Recommendation 1. This is the work that will comprise our March 2023 Report.
- NWCCU Notification of Response
March 2022: Year Six Policies, Regulations and Financial Report
March 2023: Mission Fulfillment and Sustainability Report
Preparation
NWCCU Resources
- Accreditation Handbook
- Substantive Change Manual
- ALO Orientation Handbook
- Guidelines for Mid-Cycle Reports
- Guidelines for Year Seven Self-Evaluation Reports
- Standard 2 Evaluation rubric
Advisory Groups
University Council
University Budget Advisory Committee
University Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee
University Technology Advisory Committee
Accreditation Liaison Officer: Sue Monahan, Associate Provost for Program Development (smonahan@wou.edu)