• Resource Library

The Resource Library contains all the core information we consider important to understanding of the various pieces of the accreditation experience. Here you will find guides to help you navigate the accreditation experience, relevant policies, reports used for data gathering, templates and samples of related documents, and more.

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PROCESS

About the Volunteer Information Portal (VIP)

The Volunteer Information Portal (VIP) is for Peer Reviewers and other volunteers in our community. A person’s VIP account allows them to: create and update their profile; share areas of expertise and necessary details to be considered for future volunteer opportunities; view current team information and see peer reviewer history via My Teams; and access the Key Indicators Dashboard (KID).

FORM

Accreditation Visit (AV) and Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) Confidential Team Recommendation Form

This form is used by Accreditation Visit and Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation Visit teams to convey its recommendation to the Commission.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

Accreditation Visit (AV), Seeking Accreditation Visit (SAV), and Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) Remote Review Schedule – Sample

A sample of the schedule an ALO completes as a draft and presents it to the team chair and WSCUC staff seven weeks before the remote review.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Agreements with Unaccredited Entities Guide

This guide is for institutions considering entering into agreements with unaccredited providers and is designed to be referenced in conjunction with the Agreements with Unaccredited Entities Policy.

POLICY

Agreements with Unaccredited Entities Policy

When an accredited institution enters into an agreement with an unaccredited entity with the intent that the latter will provide services to the accredited institution, the accredited institution must ensure that the services provided by the unaccredited entity comply with the Commission’s Standards and policies.

WEBINAR

ARC2021: TPR Session

WSCUC Vice Presidents and guest panelists discuss the Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) during this ARC2021 virtual conference session.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Assistant Chair Role and Responsibilities Guide

This guide describes the responsibilities of an institution accreditation team’s assistant chair in providing support for the team and chair throughout the accreditation process.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

Confidential Email Account Notification Template

This email announcement is used by the institution to notify its general population (faculty, staff, students, board members, and alumni, as appropriate) of the confidential email address available for submitting comments to the review team before or during a WSCUC site visit.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

Confidential Email Account Notification Template – Remote Review

This is a template of the language that could be used to notify an institution’s community of their opportunity to share information with WSCUC as part of the review via the confidential email. Submissions to the confidential email are not accessible to institutions.

FORM

Credit Hour Review Form

One of four forms that WSCUC uses to address institutional compliance with federal regulations, this form is completed by teams in evaluating the reliability and accuracy of the institution's assignment of credit hours. During the Accreditation Visit, teams complete this form and add it as an appendix to the Team Report.

FORM

Distance Education Review Form

A completed copy of this form should be appended to the team report for all comprehensive visits to institutions that offer distance education programs and for other visits as applicable.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Distance Education Review Guide

2023 Handbook: Under federal regulations, WSCUC is required to demonstrate that distance education programs are reviewed during the comprehensive accreditation/reaffirmation process. This guide details specific elements to be included in upcoming reviews, to ensure that each team is reviewing distance education programs in a consistent manner.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Drafting Preliminary Team Report Narrative Guide

This guide provides suggestions for team members when drafting the preliminary team report prior to the visit.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

Executive Session Agenda – Sample

A sample agenda for the review team to follow in the Executive Session meeting prior to the site visit.

FORM

Federal Compliance Forms

There are four forms that WSCUC uses to address institutional compliance with some of the federal regulation’s affecting institutions and accrediting agencies. During the visit, teams complete these four forms and add them as an appendix to the Team Report.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Institutional Report – Organizing and Uploading Reports & Exhibits Guide

This guide provides instructions for institutions submitting the institutional report, including how to set up a Box.com account and uploading the report and other supporting materials.

FORM

Institutional Report Certification Form

This form is signed by an institution’s CEO to affirm the accuracy of the information presented in the institutional report and the intention to comply fully with WSCUC’s Standards and policies.

FORM

Marketing and Recruitment Review Form

This form is completed by review teams to demonstrate the monitoring of an institution’s recruiting and admissions practices, in compliance with federal regulations.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Methods for Gathering Information and Evidence during Institutional Visits Guide

This guide is intended to help team members prepare for meetings with institutional representatives and ask questions that will result in useful information.

FORM

Off-Campus Locations Review Form

2023 Handbook: This form should be completed and included as an appendix to the team report for all visits in which off-campus sites were reviewed. One form should be used for each site visited.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Off-Campus Locations Review Guide

2023 Handbook: This guide provides the definition of off-campus locations, the responsibility of institutions in reporting these locations to WSCUC, and how these locations will be incorporated as part of the review or visit process.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Onsite Visit Logistics for Team Members Guide

This Guide describes the visit logistics for Accreditation Visit, Seeking Accreditation Visit & Special Visit team members, including the team roster, travel and hotel arrangements, and reimbursement.

FORM

Onsite Visit Logistics Form

This form is completed by team members and submitted to the ALO to arrange the logistics prior to an onsite visit to the institution.

FORM

Standards of Conduct Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Policy Disclosure Form

This form is signed by Commission members, Committee members, review team members, professional staff, and other representatives of the Commission to denote agreement with the Commission’s Conflict of Interest Policy and ethical conduct expectations and confirm the disclosure of all potential Conflicts of Interest.

FORM

Student Complaints Review Form

Teams complete this form to document the review of the institution’s student complaints policies, procedures, and records in accordance with federal regulation.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Team Chair Role and Responsibilities Guide

This guide describes the role and responsibilities of an institution review team’s chair as part of the institutional review process.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Team Member Role and Responsibilities Guide

This guide describes the role and responsibilities of an institution review team’s members as part of the institutional review process.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Team Report Preparation and Confidentiality of Information Guide

This memo concerns the transparency of information and reports following the review of an institution, describing the type of information that will be publicly available versus the information that will remain confidential.

PROCESS

Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR)

A brief summary of the TPR process WSCUC developed as an alternate pathway for reaffirmation for eligible institutions that demonstrate consistent evidence of a healthy fiscal condition, strong student achievement indicators, and sustained quality performance.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) Guide

The Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) Guide includes information about the TPR Review Process, Eligibility Criteria, Guidelines for Submission of Themes, the TPR Institutional Report, Interactions with the Evaluation Team, WSCUC Staff, and Commission

GUIDES & MANUALS

Tools and Requirements for Review Teams Guide

This guide contains descriptions of the various documents that may apply to an upcoming review and links to these documents on the WSCUC website.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

TPR Chair Communication to Team – Sample

2023 Handbook: This template is for use by the visit chair in the initial communication to team members.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

TPR Team Report Directions and Template

2023 Handbook: These directions and template are for use by the visiting team when preparing the team report.

WORKSHEET

TPR Team Worksheet

2023 Handbook: This worksheet is for use by accreditation teams to assist in reviewing the institution's report and identifying key issues for the visit.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

TPR Videoconference Agenda – Sample

This provides a sample agenda for the first review team videoconference meeting.

FORM

Transfer Credit Review Form

Under federal regulations, WSCUC is required to demonstrate that it monitors the institution’s transfer credit policy and practices. This form is to be completed by teams during the review process.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Understanding the 2023 Standards

The Understanding the 2023 WSCUC Standards provides material to help facilitate an institution’s self-evaluation under the Standards; this document complements and expands the instructions in the 2023 Handbook of Accreditation and should be used in conjunction with the Handbook.

GUIDES & MANUALS

Visit Process Guide

This guide primarily describes the interactions between WSCUC and institutions during site visits that take place on the institutional campus. It does not detail what happens during Offsite Reviews, which are conducted remotely. However, some of the pre-visit preparations are related to both the Offsite Review and Accreditation Visit, so there are necessarily some references to those reviews in this guide.

TEMPLATES & SAMPLES

Visit Timeline Template

An overview of the timeline and process for peer review teams participating in an accreditation visit, seeking accreditation visit, or special visit, including the actions to be taken by team members, WSCUC staff, and the institution before, during, and after the visit.
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