Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is a topic that has captured the attention of many people in recent years. With its impact on society and culture, it has generated numerous debates and conflicting opinions. From its origins to the current moment, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities has been the subject of study and research, and continues to be a point of interest for academics, experts and the general public. In this article we will explore different aspects related to Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, analyzing its influence, its challenges and its opportunities.
Abbreviation | NWCCU |
---|---|
Formation | 1917 |
Legal status | Association |
Purpose | Educational accreditation |
Headquarters | Redmond, Washington |
Region served | Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, British Columbia |
Membership | 163 institutions |
President | Sonny Ramaswamy |
Main organ | Board of Commissioners |
Website | www |
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.
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.
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]
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. However, as of 1 April 2024, Capilano University is no longer accredited by NWCCU.
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, NWAAS merged with AdvancED.