Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is WASC?
- What is accreditation?
- What does the accreditation process entail?
- What are the WASC standards of accreditation?
- Where is AUA in the process?
- How will AUA students benefit from accreditation?
- How does the American process of accreditation differ from the accreditation/licensing process of countries of the Former Soviet Union?
1) Who is WASC?
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is one of the six regional accrediting associations covering the United States, whose purpose is continual improvement of education and cooperation among educational institutions and agencies. WASC was formed on July 1, 1962, to evaluate and accredit schools, colleges, and universities in California, Hawaii, Guam, and the Pacific island Trust Territories.
2) What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a voluntary process involving an association of schools and/or colleges to encourage high standards of education. Accreditation indicates that the WASC Commission judges that the institution, in a manner consistent with Commission standards, offers its students on a satisfactory level the educational opportunities implied in its objectives and is likely to continue to do so.
Voluntary, nongovernmental, institutional accreditation as practiced by the Commission and the other regional commissions is a unique characteristic of American education. In many other countries the maintenance of educational standards is a governmental function.
While the Commission works to establish minimum standards of quality for institutions, its primary focus is to foster educational excellence. Each institution has the responsibility of defining, for itself, characteristics of quality and excellence, and presenting evidence that such quality and excellence is being achieved.
3) What does the accreditation process entail?
The heart of the accreditation process is the Institutional Self-Study. The Self-Study serves both external and internal purposes. It provides an opportunity within the AUA community for broad based deliberation on the current state of the institution, its successes in fulfilling its mission, its areas of special strength and those in need of improvement, as well as the direction for development in the years ahead. Commission standards define normative expectations and characteristics of excellence and provide a framework for self-study. Ultimately, the report of the self study provides the basis for demonstrating that AUA is in compliance with WASC Commission Standards.
4) What are the WASC standards of accreditation?
STANDARD 1: Defining Institutional Purposes and Ensuring Educational Objectives
STANDARD 2: Achieving Educational Objectives Through Core Functions
STANDARD 3: Developing and Applying Resources and Organizational Structures to Ensure Sustainability
STANDARD 4: Creating an Organization Committed to Learning and Improvement
5) Where is AUA in this process?
AUA began the accreditation process in 1998 and reached an historic milestone when it received Candidacy status in the fall of 2002. This was the first time that WASC had ever considered a university outside territorial United States. Candidacy status indicates that the institution has achieved initial recognition and is progressing towards accreditation.
The accreditation process entails three stages of development.
Stage One: The Institutional Proposal
AUA was asked to submit a document outlining its proposal for the process of affirming the University’s accreditation. After discussions and review of the written document, it was submitted to WASC. The Institutional Proposal and, afterward, the Self Study were approved with the WASC staff’s compliments and became the road map for all activities related to this process. In 2002, the WASC evaluation team visited AUA and upon their recommendations AUA received a Candidacy status.
Stage Two: The Capacity & Preparatory Review
AUA faculty, staff, and administration prepared and submitted in July 2005 a 35-page Capacity & Preparatory Review Report. Along with the report, the University assesmbled Institutional Data Portfolio drawn from existing documents, which supported AUA’s claim that it meets the Core Commitment to Capacity. The Capacity & Preparatory Review Team Visit visited AUA in October 2005 for auditing and verifying the information provided in the report. The WASC Visiting Team Report and Commission Action letter are available in the Papazian Library.
Stage Three: The Educational Effectiveness Review
On June 21 2006, the WASC Steering Committee submitted to WASC a 50-page Educational Effectiveness (EE) Report along with the Institutional Data Portfolio. The report demonstrates AUA’s compliance with the Core Commitment to Educational Effectiveness. The Educational Effectiveness Review Team visited AUA on September 13-15 2006.
The final phase of the process culminated in February 2007 when the WASC Commission granted AUA an accreditation for a maximum of seven years stating, “In taking this action, the Commission confirmed that the University has successfully completed the multistage review conducted under the Standards of Accreditation.” The WASC accreditation is an evidence of the premier quality of higher education offered by the University, reassurance to students and other institutions that AUA's educational programs meet American normative standards of quality.
6) How will AUA students benefit from accreditation?
WASC accreditation enables students to become eligible to apply to a wide range of doctoral programs. It also provides reassurance to students and other institutions that AUA's educational programs meet American normative standards of quality.
7) How does the American process of accreditation differ from the accreditation/licensing process of countries of the Former Soviet Union?
The American process of accreditation is not dictated by the Government or any of its bodies, and American institutions of education are not legally required to be accredited or licensed in order to operate.
Please feel free to e-mail any comments and/or suggestions to the IR Manager/Accreditation Coordinator at accreditation@aua.am. You may also leave your comments and/or suggestions in Room 60a.
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