In April, National University received reaffirmation of its accreditation for the maximum length of reaffirmation awarded by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), one of six regional associations that accredit public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the United States.
WASC officials noted the work of the University’s faculty and staff over the years in creating sustainable support systems for student learning and success. WASC also commended National for its comprehensive faculty-led assessment processes, strong support systems for students from admission through graduation, and its training program for adjunct faculty.
WASC accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and by state departments of education. Accreditation status means that schools live up to the strict educational and program requirements set forth by this agency. The status is one that speaks to the quality of programs, gives diplomas and degrees a bit of weight and is looked for by colleges to approve students' previous educational achievements based on the quality of the programs they attended.
The reaffirmation of National University's accreditation by WASC “is a testament to Chancellor Lee's relentless focus on fostering an atmosphere where student success is the number one priority of every member of our University community," said Ms. Jeanne Connelly, Chair of the National University Board of Trustees. "There is no more fitting tribute to Dr. Lee's 22 years of leadership of the National University System."
“This term of accreditation represents high-level recognition of National University’s innovative programs and the academic excellence we deliver, and places the University in the an elite group of institutions that currently include only 38 percent of institution’s accredited by WASC,” said National University Interim President Patricia E. Potter at the San Diego commencement ceremony in May. She told graduates that “to have achieved this means the degree you will receive today will be recognized and valued by employers—now and in years to come.”
The next Educational Effectiveness Review for National University is scheduled for spring of 2021. The University has been accredited by WASC since 1977, and the recently granted reaffirmation period stands out as the longest in National’s history.
WASC was formed in 1962 to promote the welfare, interests, and development of education in a designated Western region which includes institutions in California and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the Pacific Basin, and East Asia, and areas of the Pacific and East Asia where American/International schools or colleges may apply to it for service.
The WASC Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, headquartered in Alameda, California, oversees 161 institutions in the Western region. Its chief goals are to promote institutional engagement in issues of educational effectiveness and student learning; develop a culture of evidence that informs decision making; and to foster active interchange among public and independent educational institutions.
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