Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

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Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
NWCCU logo.svg
NWCCU logo
NWCCU map.png
Historical NWCCU operational area
AbbreviationNWCCU
Formation1917
Legal statusAssociation
PurposeEducational accreditation
HeadquartersRedmond, Washington
Region served
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, British Columbia
Membership
163 institutions
President
Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy
Main organ
Board of Commissioners
Websitewww.nwccu.org

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[1] as an institutional accreditor for colleges and universities. Prior to 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.[2][3]

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.

The organization traces its history to 1917 when the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools was formed. 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. The Northwest Association of Colleges and Universities split from the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools to create two separate organizations in 2002, changing the name of the organization to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. NWCCU handles the accreditation of institutions of higher education and the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools handled the accreditation of primary and secondary schools, before joining with AdvancEd in 2012.[4]

The NWCCU also accredits non-US institutions. Capilano University and Thompson Rivers University of British Columbia, Canada received accreditation in 2013 and 2018, respectively.[5] [6]

See also[]

Notes and References[]

  1. ^ "U.S. Department of Education". Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  2. ^ "Council for Higher Education Accreditation". Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  3. ^ "Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities". Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  4. ^ History of the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools Archived 2007-04-22 at the Wayback Machine and Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities History Archived August 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, accessed February 5, 2007. [1]
  5. ^ Tamburri, Rosanna (June 19, 2013). "More Canadian universities seek U.S. accreditation". University Affairs. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  6. ^ https://www.tru.ca/vpacademic/accreditation/nwccu-accreditation.html

External links[]


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