Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
{{Short description|University accreditation organization in the U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
| image = NWCCU logo.svg
| image_border =
| size =
| caption = NWCCU logo
| map = NWCCU map.png
| msize = 150px
| mcaption = Historical NWCCU operational area
| abbreviation = NWCCU
| formation = 1917
| status = Association
| purpose = Educational accreditation
| headquarters = Redmond, Washington
| region_served = Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, British Columbia
| membership = 163 institutions
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Sonny Ramaswamy
| main_organ = Board of Commissioners
| affiliations =
| website = {{official url}}
}}
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the United States Department of Education since 1952 as an institutional accreditor for colleges and universities.{{cite web |url=http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html |title=U.S. Department of Education |access-date=2010-07-31 }}
Scope
Before 2020, when the Department of Education reorganized accreditation, NWCCU was the regional authority on educational quality and institutional effectiveness of higher education institutions in the seven-state Northwest region of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. It establishes accreditation criteria and evaluation procedures by which institutions are reviewed. The commission is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.{{cite web|url=https://www.chea.org/northwest-commission-colleges-and-universities|title=Council for Higher Education Accreditation|access-date=11 April 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nwccu.org/nwccu-receives-chea-recognition/ |title=Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |date=2019-02-11 |access-date=2020-04-11 }}
The Commission oversees regional accreditation for 156 institutions. Its decision-making body consists of up to twenty-six Commissioners who represent the public and the diversity of higher education institutions within the Northwest region.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) |url=https://almanac.chea.org/accreditor/northwest-commission-colleges-and-universities |website=almanac.chea.org}}
The NWCCU also accredits non-US institutions. Capilano University, Simon Fraser University, and Thompson Rivers University of British Columbia, Canada received accreditation in 2013, 2015, and 2018, respectively.{{cite news | url=http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/more-canadian-universities-seek-us-accreditation/ | title=More Canadian universities seek U.S. accreditation | work=University Affairs | date=2013-06-19 | access-date=2014-11-09 | author=Tamburri, Rosanna}}{{cite web |title=Directory |url=https://nwccu.org/member-institutions/directory/ |website=Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |access-date=19 April 2023}}{{cite web | url=https://www.tru.ca/vpacademic/accreditation/nwccu-accreditation.html | title=NWCCU Accreditation: Office of the Provost & Vice-President Academic }} However, as of 1 April 2024, Capilano University is no longer accredited by NWCCU.{{cite web |url=https://nwccu.org/institutional-directory/capilano-university/ |title=Capilano University}}
History
In 1917, the organization was formed as the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools.
In 1974, the association changed its name to the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, which included two divisions, one being the Northwest Association of Colleges and Universities.
In 2002, the Northwest Association of Colleges and Universities split from the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NWAAS) to create two separate organizations, changing the name of the organization to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). NWCCU has since handled the accreditation of institutions of higher education, while the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NWAAS) handled the accreditation of primary and secondary schools.
In 2012, NWAC merged with AdvancED.{{cite web |url=http://www.boisestate.edu/naas/history.shtml |title=History of the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070422115150/http://www.boisestate.edu/naas/history.shtml |archivedate=2007-04-22 |accessdate=2007-02-05 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.nwccu.org/About/History/NWCCU%20History.htm |title=Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities History |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819031731/http://www.nwccu.org/About/History/NWCCU%20History.htm |archivedate=2010-08-19 |accessdate=2007-02-05 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.advanc-ed.org/about-us/10-year-anniversary |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318222554/http://www.advanc-ed.org/about-us/10-year-anniversary |archivedate=2016-03-18 |title=The History of AdvancED – A Decade of Creating a World of Opportunities }}
See also
References
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External links
- [http://www.nwccu.org/ Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities] Official website
{{Postsecondary Institutional Accreditors in the United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Northwest Commission On Colleges And Universities}}
Category:College and university associations and consortia in the United States
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