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July 18, 2024

Dear Campus Community: 

This morning, we received the WSCUC Commission Action Letter from President Studley reflecting the decision taken at the June 2024 Commission meeting concerning our accreditation. I am pleased to share that º£½ÇÉçÇø has had our accreditation reaffirmed for a period of 8 years, meaning that we will schedule an Offsite Review in Fall 2031 and the on campus Accreditation Visit in Spring 2032. We have been asked to produce an Interim Report to be submitted by March 1, 2027, to address: 

• multi-year financial and enrollment planning, 
• priorities, timelines, and structures in support of academic program development that consider enrollment and budget contingencies,
• status report on Inclusive Excellence Action Plan (IEAP) themes, and
• development and implementation of an integrated general education program assessment process. 

WSCUC's decision is a testament to the collaborative work spanning multiple years and areas across our campus. As I have shared previously, I am proud of the extraordinary effort the campus put into our accreditation process, and this is a successful outcome. In taking this action to reaffirm accreditation, the Commission confirmed that º£½ÇÉçÇøCI completed the Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation institutional review process conducted under the 2023 Standards of Accreditation. 

The commendations and recommendations the campus received during the on site visit have been reiterated in . As a reminder, º£½ÇÉçÇøCI received six commendations and six recommendations for areas of development from the visit team. The team commends º£½ÇÉçÇøCI for the following: 

1. Undertaking initial steps to transition campus culture toward integrated planning processes aligned with the maturation of the institution. 
2. Using and sharing data transparently to inform decision making.
3. Valuing and deepening connections with surrounding communities, particularly related to enrollment and student outcomes.
4. Demonstrating commitment to and shared engagement in DEIA efforts throughout the campus.
5. Exemplifying passion for and commitment to the core mission of serving students.
6. Building centralized resources and infrastructure to support faculty and staff engagement in meaningful learning outcomes assessment. 

The team recommends that the institution respond to the following areas for development with associated : 

1. Continue to prioritize multi-year financial and enrollment planning towards achieving institutional sustainability. (CFR 3.4, 3.5) 
2. Develop and communicate priorities, timelines, and structures in support of academic program development that take into account enrollment and budget contingencies. (CFR 2.1, 3.4)
3. Develop a plan for institutionalizing student success interventions according to data on effectiveness and potential for scaling. (CFR 2.13, 2.14, 3.10)
4. Advance the integration of holistic student success approaches into academic departments and faculty development, as well as across student and academic affairs. (CFR 2.9, 3.3, 4.1)
5. Fully execute the Inclusive Excellence Action Plan (IEAP) ensuring that efforts are connected in a strategic manner. (CFR 1.5, 4.8)
6. Accelerate development and implementation of an integrated general education program assessment process. (CFR 2.1, 2.2, 4.1) 

This Fall we will offer opportunities to learn more about the team report and action letter, and engage the campus in an action plan outlined in º£½ÇÉçÇøCI’s institutional report. To that end, a , entitled Investing in Student Success, has been developed to expand and deepen the conversation around what we’ve accomplished and where we are headed. 

Navigating this process during challenging times was a major endeavor for our campus. The extensive participation underscored the collective effort required to uphold our institution’s accountability to WSCUC’s recommendations moving forward. 

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in the accreditation process. I had requested deep and honest engagement, and the results clearly show that our campus rose to the occasion. 

On behalf of the campus, I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Vice Provost Jessica Lavariega Monforti for her exceptional leadership as Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) over the past few years. Our success is a testament to the commitment and dedication of all involved. Thank you for your hard work and continuing support. 

Sincerely, 
Richard Yao, Ph.D. 
President