Frequently Asked Questions about Reaccreditation
What does WASC reaccreditation mean?
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is one of the six regional accrediting
associations in the U.S. that exists to assure quality in higher education. Reaffirmation of USD’s
accreditation certifies to the educational community and to the general public that all of USD’s
degree programs and educational activities meet or exceed established standards, and that the
campus is progressing toward its stated goals. USD has been accredited by WASC since 1956.
Why should we care about WASC?
In addition to the basic need to maintain accredited status, our regional accrediting agency is at
the forefront of establishing a process of evaluation that is driven by the university’s own
mission and goals. The WASC process not only serves a formal function, but gives us the
opportunity to ask critical questions about the university, to identify evidence that helps us
address these questions, to reflect on and contribute to conversations about USD’s future, and to
help set directions for further improvement.
How has the WASC reaccreditation process changed?
The WASC reaccreditation process has changed significantly since USD last completed the
process in 2000. Reaccreditation is no longer driven by a single self-study with a definitive
grading scheme or a mechanical check-list for compliance. Instead, it is an opportunity to engage
in a period of systematic institutional self-analysis to promote improvement in educational
quality. The new process is outcome-based and future-oriented; it is not meant to produce a
series of “status reports” but to shift the university’s culture toward continuous improvement
processes.
What are the main components of the WASC reaccreditation process?
The process a multi-stage, sequential one:
- The Institutional Proposal
The first step in the process is for each institution to conduct a self-study that focuses on issues germane to its particular mission with the goal of developing “researchable questions” that guide the entire review process. In conducting this self-study, institutions are expected to engage the entire campus community in identifying issues to be explored. - The Capacity and Preparatory Review
The purpose of the Capacity and Preparatory Review is to demonstrate the institution’s commitment to institutional capacity by asking, does the campus function with the capacity to fulfill its educational purposes? “Institutional capacity” involves resource, structure, and process issues (such as the presence of a chief executive or independent governing board) from a holistic perspective and puts the following questions at center: Where are we now? Where do we need to go? How will we get there? - The Educational Effectiveness Review
The purpose of the Educational Effectiveness Review is to invite sustained engagement by the institution on the extent to which it fulfills its educational objectives. It asks if institutional systems (such as course and program design, faculty support, and program review) are effectively linked to evidence of student learning and are consistent with our educational goals and academic standards. This stage puts the following questions at center: How well are our systems working? Is what we accomplish good enough? What do we need to do to improve?
Is WASC concerned with graduate programs?
Yes. All of the standards that shape the three stages apply to both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Where is USD now in its reaccreditation process?
- We have formed the WASC Steering Committee and the larger Learning Resource Group, both of which guide the process, and met with these groups consistently since fall of 2006.
- We have engaged the campus community in conversations about educational excellence at USD.
- We have submitted our Institutional Proposal to WASC, and it has been accepted as the blueprint for our reaccreditation reviews.
- We have constructed plans for gathering evidence across campus for the Capacity and Preparatory Review.
Who can I contact for more information?
- For more information on USD’s WASC reaccreditation process, contact Andy Allen, Associate Provost and WASC Academic Liaison Officer, at andrewt@sandiego.edu.
- For more information on WASC generally, please go to http://www.wascsenior.org/wasc.