WASC Accreditation

Institutional Accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) assures the college community, general public, and local organizations that Whittier College is in compliance with federal standards.

WASC is one of six official academic bodies in the United States that is charged with the accreditation of institutions of higher education. At Whittier, accreditation, assessment and reflection are critical components to continuing and reinforcing our mission as an institution of higher education.

Our theme-based approach to our 4 C’s (Community, Culture, Connections, and Communication) represents an ongoing project that engages the community in setting goals and evaluating our progress and accountability towards them. WASC accreditation is also an opportunity for Whittier College to demonstrate the involvement of stakeholders from all levels. The WASC steering group led by the Vice President and Academic Dean helped guide multiple standing committees, departments, and working groups in data gathering and analysis for the purpose of institutional review and evaluation, which helps the College keep in good condition the self-review process, system of quality assurance, data collection, and analysis.

The visit team’s report is a response to Whittier College’s Thematic Pathway to Reaffirmation (TPR) where the College presented evidence of excellence and to President Oubré’s vision for building a cutting-edge and inclusive institution.