WSU Receives Glowing Preliminary Review From Accreditation Team

OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University is celebrating five commendations from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) accreditation evaluation committee following the committee’s Oct. 27-29 visit to campus. In addition, the university received no official recommendations, defined as areas for improvement, from the committee in its preliminary report.

“As an accreditation reviewer of other universities’ programs, I have never before seen a report without a single recommendation,” said WSU Provost Michael Vaughan.

During a report on Wednesday, evaluation committee member and Western Washington University President Bruce Shepard announced that WSU received five commendations for exemplary performance:
  • For the people comprising the university committing to a complex mission that includes not just open access, but also the attainment of a diploma
  • For the offices of Institutional Effectiveness and Institutional Research, in regard to their development and distribution of timely data in support of the university’s mission, objectives and core themes
  • For providing exceptional opportunities and enhanced access through the institution’s Dream Weber program and Weber State’s partnership with the Northern Utah Academy for Math, Engineering and Science (NUAMES)
  • For the university’s fulfillment of its mission to provide public service and community-based learning through entities such as the Center for Community Engaged Learning, the Student Involvement and Leadership program, and collaborating partners
  • For the degree to which curricula, faculty and staff responsibilities, and support services — such as academic, library, student and infrastructure support — are integrated across the university’s dual mission and multiple locations
Most reviewed institutions receive only two or three commendations, Shepard said.

“The review team’s preliminary report is a great testament to Weber State’s dedication to our mission,” said WSU President Charles A. Wight. “I am grateful to Associate Provost Ryan Thomas and the entire WSU accreditation committee for their preparation for the evaluation. The remarkable achievements of this university are the result of the hard work of our faculty, staff and students. I congratulate them all for their commitment to excellence."
 
The accreditation report will not be considered final until the NWCCU acts upon the committee’s formal recommendation and issues a statement, which is expected in December or January. Accreditation review, conducted by peer institutions every seven years, determines how well a higher education institution fulfills its mission objectives. Accreditation serves as a benchmark for the quality of an institution of higher education.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Author:
Shane Farver, executive communication coordinator
801-626-7439 • shanefarver@weber.edu
Contact:
Ryan Thomas, associate provost, dean of undergraduate studies
801-626-7931 • ryanthomas2@weber.edu