WSCUC’s most recent branding and website redesign was completed in 2021. Research conducted as part of that project will be made available to the selected agency.

WSCUC (pronounced WASC) and K-12 accreditor the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC) previously operated as a single organization named the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Although the organizations are now separate, WSCUC and ACS WASC are at times conflated in media coverage and other contexts.

With new leadership and increased public attention to student outcomes, WSCUC is exploring whether a name change could help better align with its refreshed brand identity and help clarify its distinct role as an institutional accreditor separate from ACS WASC.

WSCUC stakeholders include leaders from current and prospective member institutions, Commissioners, students, policymakers, and leaders from related higher education organizations. Each of these audiences plays a distinct role in WSCUC’s work, and some or all may be engaged at various points in the feedback process.

The brand discovery process should include interviews with external stakeholders, as well as quantitative research as appropriate, to understand current brand perceptions. The discovery process should also include interviews with WSCUC staff members to identify the organization’s unique strengths and opportunities. Brand discovery activities can be conducted remotely.

Accreditation is often viewed as a compliance exercise, despite its central role in supporting student success and institutional improvement. WSCUC’s brand challenge is to clearly articulate how its outcomes-focused, data-informed approach and emphasis on innovation adds value for institutions and the public, and how this approach distinguishes it from other accreditors. Our current brand does not clearly convey this or reflect our leadership in the field.

All elements of WSCUC’s current brand are open to reinvention. This said, WSCUC would welcome a refreshed color palette that builds on the colors used in the current brand guidelines.

WSCUC Commission meetings are scheduled for June 24-26 and November 4-6, 2026. These meetings are key points at which staff will provide updates to the full Commission. Agencies should consider these dates when developing their proposed project timelines.

WSCUC’s brand and website redesign work group will provide input and guidance and collaborate with the selected agency throughout the project’s execution. This group includes representatives from WSCUC’s communications, IT, educational programing, and accreditation teams, as well as senior leadership.

WSCUC’s Executive Committee has ultimate responsibility for approving key project milestones, including brand and design direction, site navigation, and other substantive decisions. The selected agency should plan to support WSCUC staff with materials and, as needed, presentations for Executive Committee updates and approvals.

One anticipated challenge is building alignment among decision-makers with varying levels of familiarity with branding and website projects. Clear explanations and evidence-based recommendations from the agency will be essential to building consensus.

WSCUC will prioritize proposals from agencies with demonstrated experience leading branding and website redesigns for higher education organizations with similarly complex offerings.

Strong agency partners bring relevant experience while also taking the time to listen, understand the organization, and learn its unique challenges and opportunities. WSCUC values partners who combine expertise with curiosity and sound judgment.

WSCUC has not set a budget range for this project. Agencies should propose an approach and budget that align with the scope of work outlined in the RFP and reflect the work required to meet the project goals, while taking into consideration WSCUC’s status as a nonprofit organization.

WSCUC welcomes innovation and new approaches within accreditation, whether from established or emerging accreditors. Increased competition can be a catalyst for ingenuity and improvement.

This said, a crowded and evolving landscape underscores the importance of clearly communicating WSCUC’s distinct value. This includes articulating how WSCUC’s outcomes-focused, data-informed approach to quality assurance and its emphasis on innovation add value for institutions and the public.

WSCUC has not initiated a formal strategic planning process at this time due to significant uncertainty in the federal accreditation landscape. Negotiated rulemaking on accreditation is expected to occur this spring, and anticipated regulatory changes may shape or constrain future strategic priorities.

There are three areas of emphasis for WSCUC as we await new regulations: evidence and outcomes, transparency, and improvement and innovation. The branding project should support these priorities and be adaptable as WSCUC’s future strategic direction is clarified.

WSCUC’s site contains nearly 450 pages/posts and 600+ team/event/committee/document entries. Directory related rendered pages number in the thousands (generated via the SF integration). WSCUC updates its website several times each week, primarily through new posts, event updates, and revisions to documents in the resource library. New pages are created several times each year.

WSCUC completed a limited content audit in summer 2025 in connection with revisions to the Standards of Accreditation. A comprehensive content audit has not yet been completed and is anticipated as part of this project.

WSCUC uses Google Analytics for basic reporting and insight into site usage. As part of this project, the selected agency will review available analytics and conduct additional discovery to identify key UX pain points and opportunities for improvement.

Users primarily visit the site to access the Standards of Accreditation and related policies and resources, review information in the institutional directory, and access the Key Indicators Dashboard (KID).

WSCUC intends to retain its current website partner for implementation of the redesigned site. The selected agency will assess existing technical components and integrations as part of discovery and work in close collaboration with WSCUC’s technical partner throughout the project. Based on an assessment of existing components and integrations, the agency should provide recommendations on which elements can be retained, adapted, or enhanced, and collaborate with the technical partner to support implementation.

WSCUC’s web team includes a dedicated site administrator and an IT director. WSCUC also works with an external technical partner that provides technical development and support as needed.

Proposals should include development of a content strategy and a website governance plan to guide the creation, management, and ongoing maintenance of information on WSCUC’s new site. Copy writing and SEO services are not expected as part of this project.

WSCUC may require assistance with content migration, depending on the volume of content to be migrated as part of the redesign.

WSCUC currently uses the default WordPress search functionality. An enhanced search solution would provide more intuitive and accurate results, including features such as improved handling of misspellings, the ability to anticipate related or alternative search terms, and greater control over how search results are ranked and presented to users.

WSCUC welcomes recommendations for improving how users access and interact with the Key Indicators Dashboard, including enhancements to how information in KID is presented.

Salesforce & Box: Custom WordPress plugins provide access to vendor APIs to download and sync data. Data is stored in the WordPress database. We leverage the WordPress document library to populate our Box sharelinks. Custom design to integrate with the site.

MSFT PowerBI: Embedded via iframes (content and design managed in PowerBI)

Yes, agencies should assume WSCUC is retaining the existing Salesforce and Box integrations.

We do not anticipate other integrations at this time.

WSCUC aims for WCAG AA with at least a 95% compliance score utilizing a variety of tools for measurement.

WSCUC welcomes recommendations for modules or functionality that improve the customization and visual presentation of events.

WSCUC intends to continue using its existing WordPress platform, which is hosted on WPEngine. As noted in the RFP, the site includes established integrations with Box for document management and Salesforce for management of the institutional directory, both of which we are retaining.

WSCUC’s current technical partner has developed a set of custom components that support internal page layouts. As part of this project, WSCUC anticipates that the design work will define new or enhanced components and page templates that align with the refreshed brand and expand WSCUC’s ability to create and update pages without custom coding.

The current site is built on a custom page builder framework that leverages ACF. It is similar to custom Gutenberg blocks, but does not use the Gutenberg framework. The site is, as such, primarily template-less, allowing WSCUC staff to use the drag and drop builder to create new pages. Some pages, like events, blog posts, the Handbooks, directory, and resources, are templated and do not use the page builder.

One known limitation is the site’s current search functionality. As noted in the RFP, WSCUC is interested in recommendations for robust search solutions that are compatible with WordPress and could be incorporated into the redesigned site.

Success will be defined by improvements in user experience, including clearer navigation, more institutive access to key resources, and improved search functionality. In addition, WSCUC will consider qualitative feedback from stakeholders to determine whether the project has helped position WSCUC effectively for future strategic priorities.