For many years the WASC Senior College and University Commission has provided opportunities for postsecondary education professionals to better understand higher education and to build knowledge and skills and develop professionally. We will continue this tradition and strive for quality, relevance, and timeliness as we do so.

The Assessment Leadership Academy (ALA) has prepared more than 350 alumni to lead efforts and activities related to assessing student learning, from serving their institutions in leadership roles to facilitating workshops and working on planning, budgeting, and decision-making related to educational effectiveness. ALA graduates have also provided leadership and expertise to WSCUC institutions and the entire higher education community through service on WSCUC committees and evaluation teams and frequent presentation at conferences. Given this record of success, we look forward to providing many more opportunities for leadership and skill development.

Current conditions and the context in which we are all operating, however, has necessitated a different approach in the short term. As a result, the ALA in its current form will be taking a hiatus in 2021-2022.

There will be a long-form, intensive professional development opportunity next year – WSCUC’s Educational Programs is at work developing a program that specifically addresses the challenges presented by the global coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 outbreak and the heightened need for ensuring equity as a core value and central component of activity at all institutions of higher learning. New perspectives and a broad palate of skills are necessary to respond to our rapidly evolving landscape – and example of which is the speed with which we all had to address the imperative for remote instruction and the ability to rapidly respond to issues of educational effectiveness, continuity, and sustainability.

We will be telling you more about this program in December, including the content of the curriculum and the slate of facilitators and instructors. Information about applying and participating will also be available at that time.

Thank you for your interest and support of all of WSCUC’s educational programming – we look forward to continued partnership with you to navigate and improve higher education’s current circumstances and lead the way to its future.