A self-study report prepared by West Virginia University for the Higher Learning Commission is now available online.

The downloadable PDF – available at the WVU Accreditation website – demonstrates how WVU fulfills the Higher Learning Commission’s criteria for accreditation. The University is up for reaccreditation this year by the Commission, an agency which oversees accreditation for degree-granting colleges and universities. A team of peer evaluators will visit WVU April 7-9.

The self-study is one key component of the accreditation process.

“West Virginia University’s self-study report is the culmination of over two-and-a-half years of effort by hundreds of people at the University,” said Elizabeth Hamilton, accreditation and planning officer, Academic Strategic Planning. “The process of creating the self-study was valuable because it encouraged the institution to reflect on the progress of the past 10 years.”

WVU’s last accreditation was in 2003-2004. The theme for WVU’s 10-year review is “Reaffirm.”

The self-study process began in July 2011, when WVU’s Higher Learning Commission Planning Team, led by Provost Michele Wheatly, was established to oversee and coordinate the study.

The study concludes that WVU honors its mission as a land-grant university and remains dedicated to teaching and learning, research and scholarship, diversity and inclusion, outreach and economic development, and promoting the health and quality of life of West Virginians.

The Higher Learning Commission has established five criteria for accreditation:

• The institution’s mission,
• Integrity: Ethical and responsible conduct,
• Teaching and learning: Quality, resources and support,
• Teaching and learning: Evaluation and improvement,
• Resources, planning and institutional effectiveness.

“The reaffirmation of accreditation is a critical and important process for WVU,” said Elizabeth A. Dooley, associate provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs. “For those students and families who choose WVU, we want them to be assured we are a credible and valued institution. Going through the reaffirmation process allows WVU to assess the current state of affairs across the institution against prescribed criteria, assess progress and engage in ongoing and meaningful dialogue about new and sustained opportunities.”

“I have been a Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission for approximately 14 years because I value the accreditation process,” said Sue Day-Perroots, associate vice president for Academic Innovation. “The criteria provide benchmarks for the university to examine itself. The external evaluators then validate the findings or offer new insights to improve the university.”

For more information, go to http://accreditation.wvu.edu/

-WVU-

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