October 24, 2025

We’ve tackled some big topics lately, including how to engage with agitators on campus and our budget health. Today’s letter continues the trend as we review where we stand with the college’s accreditation process (Part One). I’ve broken this topic into two parts so that it is more digestible. Next week, I’ll send Part Two.

In case you didn’t know, all colleges and universities in the northwest are accredited by an agency called the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Basically, this agency affirms our ability to grant educational degrees. We are on a 7-year growth and improvement cycle and, in 2025-26, we are maneuvering through our 6th year of that cycle.

Governance, Resources, and Capacity

In March 2026, we have a report due about our “operating capabilities” called Governance, Resources and Capacity. Shannon Bath is coordinating the report writing and contributors have been tasked with writing or updating the chapters assigned to them. This report assures NWCCU that operating logistics are in order; everything from the Business Office to Student Services to the Board of Trustees to Policies & Procedures and more. Last time (2020) there were 9 chapters totaling about 38 pages. This report gets a “desk review” by NWCCU.

Student Success and Institutional Mission & Effectiveness

The following year (2026-27) is a bit more intensive. Not only do we have a second report to write, but we will have a campus visit by evaluators. We are beginning to ramp up for this now. The second report details “mission fulfillment.”

The evaluation of that report along with the visit affirms that:

1. We have an active strategic plan;
2. We use data each year to inform assessment and decision-making related to that strategic plan;
3. We tie that assessment and decision-making to resource allocation;
4. We are conducting an assessment of our academic programs.

Not only are these four things a requirement, they are also just plain good practice when leading an educational organization. We have worked hard to create a Strategic Plan that is flexible, establishes a structure that shows data-informed decision making, and allows that data to inform next steps with regard to each strategic initiative (numbers 1-3).

As well, Tori Saneda and Kristina Young, have led our multi-year faculty effort to design an assessment and program review process of our college learning outcomes and our Areas of Interest (number 4).

This is the crux of our successful accreditation visit; we need to demonstrate that 1-4 above are alive and active. We need to demonstrate that we are effectively teaching students and improving student success through this process. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what we should be doing even without it being a requirement.

I believe the data shows that we have successfully engaged in this practice. Next week, I’ll talk about the three recommendations we received from our last visit (2020) and how we have worked to improve those areas. The demonstration of that improvement substantiates that we continue to be effective at improving the educational attainment of our students.

Shoutouts

Shoutouts can be sent to FLShoutout@cascadia.edu.

Have a great weekend.