Campus prepares for WASC site visit

by John Shields
Chair, WASC Self-Study Steering Committee

This is it! The culmination of three-plus years of reflection and self-study is at hand with the Oct. 20-22 accreditation site visit by an external review panel assembled by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

The six-member panel will focus on our institution’s educational effectiveness, especially as it relates to student learning. The criteria for review are rooted in WASC standards as well as the sustaining university themes of Opportunity (access to quality programs for diverse populations), Exploration (discovery of knowledge, self, and society through expanding horizons) and Interaction (transformation through integration of knowledge and experience).

Based on interviews and consultations the panel will make a determination about our progress, performance and commitment to being educationally effective.   The outcome of the evaluation will be a report of findings and a recommendation to the WASC Commission regarding California State University, Fresno’s application for reaccreditation.

The accreditation panel’s site visit program includes meetings with the following: academic departments regarding student learning and educational effectiveness; participants in the faculty mentoring program, service learning courses, and volunteer civic engagement; probationary faculty as well as faculty and students engaged in research; Academic Senate Standing Committees on Personnel and General Education; administrative committees on student success, technology, athletics, and strategic planning; the Council of Deans, the University Advisory Board, the provost, the president, and the WASC Self-Study Steering Committee.

A unique feature of this site visit will be the UNIVERSITY EXPO of campus program exhibits in the University Business Center on Thursday, Oct. 21.   The campus community at large is encouraged to attend from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m.   Students, staff, faculty, administrators are welcome to visit with colleagues who are exhibitors and with members of the WASC review panel. Consider this an informational and celebratory occasion marking the campus commitment to being educationally effective.

The campus community is also invited to attend the Open Forum in UC 200 on Friday, Oct. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. when the WASC Review Panel Chair, Dr. Anthony Ceddia, will give a briefing on the major findings of the site visit.

The panel’s schedule (including the UNIVERSITY EXPO of campus program exhibits organized under our three accreditation themes), along with the Educational Effectiveness Review Report produced by the campus self-study steering committee, can be found online at http://www.csufresno.edu/portfolio.