WASC Accreditation Reaffirmed
SDSU formed a steering committee made up of representatives from across campus.
Earlier this month, San Diego State University President Elliot Hirshman received notification that the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) has reaffirmed SDSU’s accreditation for 10 years – the maximum allowable under federal guidelines.
The WSCUC is the regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as certifying institutional eligibility for federal funding in a number of programs, including student access to federal financial aid. Based on standards agreed to by its members, the commission encourages continuous institutional improvement and assures the membership and its constituencies, including the public, that accredited institutions are fulfilling their missions in service to their students and the public good.
“This reaffirmation is a testament to the extraordinary excellence of our faculty, staff and students,” said Hirshman in a memo to the campus community. “It is also a reflection of the efforts that they, our alumni and our community supporters undertake on behalf of our university’s educational, research and service missions.”
Campus-wide effort
To facilitate and coordinate the reaffirmation of accreditation process, which took 10 months, SDSU formed a steering committee made up of representatives from across campus. The committee was responsible for producing all required documents on behalf of the campus and coordinating the Offsite Review and Accreditation Visit. Members included:
• Cathie Atkins, associate dean, College of Sciences
• Edmund Balsdon, associate dean, Graduate Research and Affairs
• Suzanne Bordelon, professor, rhetoric and writing studies
• Shawn Flanigan, interim associate dean, Division of Undergraduate Studies
• Frank Harris, III, associate professor, administration, rehabilitation and postsecondary education
• Kurt Lindemann, associate professor, School of Communication
• Reynaldo Monzon, director of assessment and research, Division of Student Affairs
• Nina Potter, director of assessment, College of Education
• Christy Samarkos, associate vice president of campus life, Division of Student Affairs
• Stephen Schellenberg, interim/associate Dean, Division of Undergraduate Studies (chair and accreditation liaison officer)
Dedication to excellence
As part of the reaffirmation process, WSCUC presented the university with nine commendations:
• The deep dedication of faculty, staff, administrators, and student leadership to collaboration and transparency and to working in partnership to lead student success.
• Improvements in retention and graduation rates while increasing the diversity of the student body and closing achievement gaps.
• Development of a comprehensive strategic plan with broad participation from university stakeholders.
• Remarkable success in fundraising.
• Capital improvements designed to strengthen student success, particularly the facilities for addressing the needs of commuter students.
• Maintaining a high volume of research grants and contracts in a very competitive national environment.
• Astute financial management to maintain the quality of the university while mitigating the deep cuts in state appropriations.
• Implementation of an integrated program of high-impact practices, including undergraduate research and study abroad, and adopting policies that require these experiences for undergraduates.
• Outreach to underserved local communities.
Moving forward
The WSCUC also presented the university with four recommendations for improvement, which will be integrated into SDSU’s strategic plan, “Building on Excellence.” Progress will be evaluated by WSCUC during the mid-cycle review process that will occur in the spring of 2021.
The Formal Notification and Official Record of Action and descriptions of the entire reaffirmation process, including SDSU’s self-study and the WASC review team’s report, are available at wasc.sdsu.edu.
