Welcome to ACCJC/ WASC

The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accredits associate degree granting institutions in the Western region of the U.S. ACCJC operates under the corporate entity the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The ACCJC is one of seven regional accrediting commissions. The ACCJC is authorized to operate by the U.S. Department of Education through the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008.

Accreditation is a voluntary system of self regulation developed to evaluate overall educational quality and institutional effectiveness (The Commission’s complete Purpose Statement is available in Article I, section 2 of its Bylaws). The ACCJC accreditation process provides assurance to the public that the accredited member colleges meet the Standards; the education earned at the institutions is of value to the student who earned it; and employers, trade or profession-related licensing agencies, and other colleges and universities can accept a student’s credential as legitimate.

• 'Accreditation Basics' online course.
  
• Shifting Sands of Accreditation Video and other WCET conference recordings.
  
• Future of Accreditation, NACIQI Draft Report.
• USDE Guidelines for Accreditor Recognition.
• From the Commission Chair on Accreditation Standards Review.
  
• The New Ecology for Higher Education, a paper by Dr. Peter Ewell.
• Updated Evidentiary requirements on fiscal data.
  
• Revised Rubric for Evaluating Institutional Effectiveness.