The Berkeley campus is launching its accreditation review under the auspices of its accrediting agency, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Accordingly, the campus will be engaged in a process of self-study in academic year 2012-13, leading to a campus site visit by an external review committee sponsored by WASC in Fall 2014. For those of you who may be interested in WASC and in a more detailed understanding of the accreditation process, you may wish to consult http://www.wascsenior.org/ .
The WASC Steering Committee, chaired by Catherine Koshland, Vice Provost, Teaching, Learning, Academic Planning and Facilities, will oversee the development of the narrative reports, required data exhibits and other key evidence of institutional excellence and of planning to sustain access and excellence. The Steering Committee includes representatives from the campus administration, the Academic Senate, the ASUC, and the Graduate Assembly.
The Berkeley campus has been fully accredited since 1949 and its accreditation was reaffirmed most recently in 2004. WASC’s standards for accreditation are shared by UC Berkeley and are intended to ensure that institutions of higher education act with integrity, yield high quality educational outcomes, and are committed to continuous improvement.
As the accreditation process unfolds, the Steering Committee and its supporting contributors will engage many members of the campus community and will keep the community at large informed of its progress. They will also be calling on members of the campus community to contribute to the campus self-study effort, and I would appreciate your full cooperation if you are contacted.
If you have any questions regarding the review, please contact the campus WASC Accreditation Liaison Officer, Assistant Vice Provost Cynthia Schrager (schrager@berkeley.edu).
Yours sincerely,
Robert J. Birgeneau
If you are a manager who supervises Cal employees without email access, please circulate this information to all.