The Standards establish the foundational values and broad principles of good practice by which an institution achieves and maintains accreditation with WSCUC and also form the basis for institutional review. The four Standards, which are further defined and amplified by the Criteria for Review (CFRs), express a commitment to success for all students, ensure institutional quality, and promote institutional cultures of evidence and improvement.
The 2023 Standards are designed to advance quality, accountability, and improvement in service of equitable student learning, student success, and institutional effectiveness.
These side-by-side resource documents provide a comparison of CFRs in the 2013 and 2023 Standards, showing which CFRs best represent/correspond to others.
2013 to 2023 Comparison
2023 to 2013 Comparison
Looking for the 2013 Handbook and Standards? Click here
Looking for the 2023 Handbook and Standards? Click here
Implementation & Handbook
The Standards and their associated accreditation processes will be mandatory for all institutional reviews taking place after June 30, 2024, with these qualifications:
- Seeking Accreditation Visits 2, 3, or 4 which began under the 2013 Handbook will be conducted under the 2013 Handbook
- Special Visits which were scheduled under the 2013 Handbook will be conducted under the 2013 Handbook
- Institutions may elect to be reviewed under the 2023 Handbook before June 30, 2024 if they so choose. Please consult with the WSCUC staff liaison when making this determination
The Commission is committed to supporting institutions with resources and guidance to be able to readily assimilate these changes in their institutional planning, self-study, and report preparation. Adoption of the new Standards was the first step in the creation of a new Handbook of Accreditation. The Standards are the foundation for institutional evaluation, but they require context, elaboration, and updated process before they can be implemented. As a first step in that effort, the Commission endorsed the following activities:
A New Handbook
The creation of a Handbook with four sections:
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- Introduction
- Standards
- Institutional Reaffirmation Process (IRP), including the self-study and institutional report
- Forms of Commission action
IRP Member Institution Consultation
Consultation with member institutions in the development of the IRP.
Approval of the Handbook is scheduled for the June 2023 Commission meeting, following this calendar of events:
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- November 2022 – February 2023: work group of the Commission and staff will consult with the membership to develop drafts of the institutional reaffirmation process (IRP) and the Companion Guide
- February 2023 Commission meeting: Commission will comment on the direction and initial draft of the Handbook and Companion Guide
- March – April 2023: continue to refine the Handbook and Companion Guide
- ARC 2023: report to the membership at the annual meeting on the penultimate draft of the Handbook and Companion Guide
- April 2023 – June 2023: develop the final draft of the Handbook and Companion Guide
- June 2023 Commission meeting: approve the Handbook and endorse the Companion Guide
- Post June 2023 Commission meeting: provide training for institutions and future WSCUC review team members
The Commission anticipates that some institutions may want to embrace the Standards and their associated processes earlier than the fall 2024 official date of implementation. For example, institutions seeking initial accreditation may want to begin the process using the new Standards which will be in effect if and when they are granted initial accreditation. During the coming months, again in consultation with member institutions, the Commission will develop a pathway to afford as much flexibility as possible to accommodate these opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will my institution come under the 2023 Standards?
The Standards and their associated accreditation processes will be mandatory for all institutional reviews taking place after June 30, 2024, with these qualifications:
- Seeking Accreditation Visits 2, 3, or 4 which began under the 2013 Handbook will be conducted under the 2013 Handbook
- Special Visits which were scheduled under the 2013 Handbook will be conducted under the 2013 Handbook
- Institutions may elect to be reviewed under the 2023 Handbook before June 30, 2024 if they so choose. Please consult with the WSCUC staff liaison when making this determination
Where do I send questions about the 2023 Standards and their implementation?
If you are an ALO and have questions about the 2023 Standards, please direct your questions to the WSCUC Vice President for your institution. Questions may also be directed to standardscomments@wscuc.org.
What has changed in the 2023 Standards?
The 2023 Standards are designed to preserve the basic values and structure of the current Standards while advancing quality, accountability, and improvement in service of equitable student learning, student success, and institutional effectiveness. Changes reflect a set of Principles identified early in the revision process:
- Students will be at the center of the Standards and of accreditation reviews, with emphasis in the Standards and CFRs on educational outcomes achieved in an environment promoting student personal well-being and success.
- Institutions will be expected to demonstrate evidence of actions and results for continuous improvement and public accountability.
- Equity and inclusion, as essential elements of high quality educational and institutional effectiveness, will be woven appropriately throughout the Standards and CFRs.
- Standards and CFRs will adhere to the WSCUC philosophy of establishing objectives, promoting flexibility in application, and allowing institutions to determine how to achieve them, consistent with their mission and focus (“What” not “How”).
- When considering changing, adding to, and/or revising Standards and CFRs, the desire of WSCUC institutions for continuity and consistency will be balanced with changes necessary to better reflect the current environment and values of higher education.
- WSCUC will continue to value and respect the diversity of viewpoints of WSCUC institutions through this process.
What hasn’t changed about the Standards?
The 2023 Standards retain the same essential framework as the 2013 Standards, with four Standards, flexibility in application of Standards consistent with an institution’s mission, avoidance of overly prescriptive language, and maintenance of a manageable number of CFRs.
Background
The Standards of Accreditation provide the foundational criteria by which an institution achieves and maintains accreditation with WSCUC. The Standards articulate the values that underpin accreditation by WSCUC and the broad principles of good practice established by the Commission and its accredited institutions and provide the basis for institutional review. The Standards, which are further defined and amplified by the Criteria for Review (CFRs), express a commitment to success for all students, ensure institutional quality, and promote institutional cultures of evidence and improvement.
As outlined in the Review of Commission Standards Policy, the Commission periodically reviews the Standards to ensure that they are appropriate, relevant, broadly applicable, and consistent with federal requirements. The current process of Standards review began in 2019 with Commission consideration and discussions with WSCUC-accredited institutions, including specific sessions at two annual meetings and directly with CEOs and accreditation liaison officers. The Standards and each CFR have been revised based on input from member institutions’ governing boards, faculty, administrators, staff, and students, as well as peer reviewers, research and policy organizations, Commissioners, and WSCUC staff.