Describing WSCUC and Accreditation Status: Requirements and Guidance

This page outlines WSCUC’s expectations and applicable federal requirements for how member and applicant institutions describe WSCUC, their relationship to WSCUC, and their accreditation status. The information on this page applies across all institutional communications, including catalogs, websites, marketing collateral, policies, and other public-facing material. Institutions are responsible for ensuring that all such materials conform to this guidance. Information on the full set of items institutions are required to post publicly is available on the Requirements for Institutional Websites page.

How to Describe Your Institution’s Accreditation Status

The language an institution uses to describe its accreditation status must accurately reflect that institution’s current standing with WSCUC. To align with federal guidance, institutions should refer to WSCUC as an “institutional accreditor” or “national accreditor.” It is no longer appropriate for an institution to refer to WSCUC as a “regional accreditor” or to say the institution is “regionally accredited.”

Institutions with accredited or candidate status that wish to use the WSCUC logo must comply with WSCUC logo guidelines and obtain written permission from WSCUC before use.

Federal regulation requires that the WSCUC name, address, and phone number appear in the institution’s catalog, and WSCUC expects equivalent information to be readily accessible on the institution’s website. WSCUC address and contact information:

WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 748-9001
wscuc.org

Accredited Institutions

WSCUC accreditation applies to the institution as a whole. Because institutional accreditation does not imply specific accreditation of any particular program at the institution, statements such as “this program is accredited” or “this degree is accredited” are inaccurate. The phrase “fully accredited” should also be avoided, as WSCUC does not grant partial accreditation.

Programs holding programmatic accreditation should reference those accreditors separately and not conflate specialized accreditation with WSCUC institutional accreditation.

Required Language:

  • [Institution] is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500 Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 748-9001. wscuc.org

Institutions Accredited with Notice of Concern or Sanction

Institutions under a Notice of Concern, on Warning, or on Probation must accurately disclose that status. Describing the institution simply as “accredited,” without the qualifying status, does not satisfy this obligation.

Required language

  • [Institution] is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and is currently Accredited with [Notice of Concern/on Warning /on Probation] by WSCUC. WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500 Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 748-9001 wscuc.org

Institutions in Candidacy

Candidacy is a preliminary status indicating that an institution is progressing toward Initial Accreditation but is not yet accredited. Should an institution elect to give notice of its Candidate status, WSCUC policy requires that it be expressed as follows.

Required language

  • [Institution] has been recognized as a Candidate for Accreditation by WASC Senior College and University Commission, 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001 wscuc.org. This status is a pre-accreditation affiliation with the Commission awarded for a five-year period from the date of the action to grant Candidacy. Candidacy is an indication that the institution is progressing toward Initial Accreditation. Candidacy is not Accreditation and does not ensure eventual Accreditation.

Institutions in Eligibility

Eligibility is the entry stage of the WSCUC accreditation process. Eligibility is not a formal status with the Commission, but rather a preliminary review of an institution to determine that the institution is potentially accreditable. An institution granted Eligibility is neither accredited nor a Candidate for Accreditation. Should an institution elect to give notice of its Eligibility status, WSCUC policy requires that it be expressed as follows.

Required language

  • [Institution] has applied for Eligibility with the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). WSCUC has reviewed the application and determined that [Institution] is eligible to proceed with an Application for Accreditation. A determination of Eligibility is not a formal status with WSCUC, nor does it ensure eventual accreditation; it is a preliminary finding that the institution is potentially accreditable and can proceed to be reviewed for Initial Accreditation with WSCUC. The first visit for achieving Initial Accreditation must take place within five years of being granted Eligibility. Questions about Eligibility may be directed to the institution or to WSCUC at wscuc.org or at 510-748-9001.

Institutions in the Inquiry/Pre-Eligibility Stage

Institutions that have submitted an inquiry or are in early conversations with WSCUC have not entered a formal relationship with WSCUC. Such institutions must not represent themselves as Eligible, in Candidacy, accredited, or as “seeking WSCUC accreditation” in any manner that implies a commitment by WSCUC. No reference to a WSCUC status should appear in catalogs, websites, or marketing materials at this stage.