Standards of Accreditation

Senior College and University Commission
2013 WASC Standards at a Glance – Effective July 1, 2013

Note: Standards at a Glance is a much abbreviated, “quick view” version of the Standards and Criteria for Review contained in the 2013 Handbook of Accreditation. It does not address ll points under each CFR or include important guidelines or policies. Teams should use the full Standards, CFRs, guidelines, and policies as they conduct reviews and site visits and prepare reports.

Standard 1: Defining Institutional Purposes and Ensuring Educational Objectives

Institutional Purposes
1.1 Formally approved, appropriate statements of purpose that define values and character
1.2 Clear educational objectives; indicators of student achievement at institution, program and
course levels; retention/graduation data and evidence of student learning outcomes made public

Integrity and Transparency

1.3 Academic freedom: policies and practices
1.4 Diversity: policies, programs, and practices
1.5 Education as primary purpose; autonomy from external entities
1.6 Truthful representation to students/public; fair and equitable policies; timely completion
1.7 Operational integrity; sound business practices; timely and fair responses to complaints;
evaluation of institutional performance
1.8 Honest, open communication with WASC including notification of material matters;
implementation of WASC policies

Standard 2: Achieving Educational Objectives Through Core Functions

Teaching and Learning
2.1 Programs appropriate in content, standards, degree level; sufficient qualified faculty
2.2 Clearly defined degrees re: admission requirements and levels of achievement for graduation;
processes to ensure meaning, quality and integrity of degrees

2.2a – Undergraduate degree requirements, including general education and core
competencies
2.2b – Graduate degree requirements clearly stated and appropriate

2.3 Student learning outcomes (SLOs) and expectations for student learning at all levels; reflected
in curricula, programs, policies, advising
2.4 Faculty’s collective responsibility for setting SLOs and standards, assessing student learning,
demonstrating achievement of standards
2.5 Students actively involved in learning and challenged; feedback on learning provided
2.6 Graduates achieve stated levels of attainment; SLOs embedded in faculty standards for
assessing student work
2.7 Program review includes SLOs, retention/graduation data, external evidence and evaluators

Scholarship and Creative Activity
2.8 Scholarship, creative activity, and curricular and instructional innovation for both students and
faculty valued and supported
2.9 Faculty evaluation links scholarship, teaching, student learning, and serviceSenior College and University Commission

Student Learning and Success
2.10 Institution identifies and supports needs of students; tracks aggregated and disaggregated
student achievement, satisfaction and campus climate; demonstrates students’ timely progress
2.11 Co-curricular programs aligned with academic goals and regularly assessed
2.12 Institution provides useful and complete program information and advising
2.13 Appropriate student support services planned, implemented, and evaluated
2.14 Appropriate information to, and treatment of, transfer students (if applicable)

Standard 3: Developing and Applying Resources and Organizational Structures to Ensure Quality and Sustainability

Faculty and Staff
3.1 Sufficient, qualified, and diverse faculty and staff to support programs and operations
3.2 Faculty and staff policies, practices and evaluation well developed and applied
3.3 Faculty and staff development planned, implemented, and evaluated

Fiscal, Physical, and Information Resources
3.4 Financial stability, clean audits, sufficient resources; realistic plans for any deficits; integrated
budgeting; enrollment management; diversified revenue sources
3.5 Facilities, services, information and technology resources sufficient and aligned with objectives

Organizational Structures and Decision-Making Processes
3.6 Leadership operates with integrity, high performance, responsibility, and accountability
3.7 Clear, consistent decision-making structures and processes; priority to sustain institutional
capacity and educational effectiveness
3.8 Full-time CEO and full-time CFO; sufficient qualified administrators
3.9 Independent governing board with appropriate oversight, including hiring and evaluating CEO
3.10 Effective academic leadership by faculty

Standard 4: Creating an Organization Committed to Quality Assurance, Institutional Learning,
and Improvement

Quality Assurance Processes
4.1 Quality-assurance processes in place to collect, analyze, and interpret data; track results over
time; use comparative data; and make improvements
4.2 Sufficient institutional research (IR) capacity; data disseminated and incorporated in planning
and decision-making; IR effectiveness assessed

Institutional Learning and Improvement
4.3 Commitment to improvement based on data and evidence; systematic assessment of teaching,
learning, campus environment; utilization of results
4.4 Ongoing inquiry into teaching and learning to improve curricula, pedagogy, and assessment
4.5 Appropriate stakeholders involved in regular assessment of institutional effectiveness
4.6 Reflection and planning with multiple constituents; strategic plans align with purposes; address
key priorities and future directions; plans are monitored and revised as required
4.7 Anticipating and responding to a changing higher educational environment