Western Nevada College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
Credit
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities requires that each college credit entail 40-45 hours of student involvement (class time plus outside assignments). The following table shows how this determines the amount of student involvement for credit courses for the most commonly used number of units.
Units in a Course Student Involvement:
- 0.5: 20 22.5 hours
- 1.0: 40 45 hours
- 2.0: 80 90 hours
- 3.0: 120 135 hours
- 4.0: 160 180 hours
- 5.0: 200 225 hours
- 6.0: 240 270 hours
Mid-Cycle Report
Year One Report: Mission & Core Themes
Year Seven Self-Study
Current Accreditation Status Information
Following WNCs 2019 Year One Report and Ad Hoc Report and site visit, NWCCU has found all 2018 Year Seven recommendations fulfilled. Please see the below NWCCU Formal Notification Letter for details.
Following WNCs 2018 Year Seven Self-Study and NWCCUs April 2018 site visit, NWCCU has reaffirmed accreditation for WNC. Please see the below NWCCU Formal Notification Letter for more details.
WNC was asked to prepare an ad hoc report that was submitted in Spring 2016. The report and response to the report are provided below.
The standards for accreditation were revised in 2011. Each institution seeking to maintain its accreditation prepares three self-evaluations during the seven-year evaluation cycle: Year One, Mid-Cycle, and Year Seven. WNC has submitted and received action for the first two required self-evaluation reports in the current cycle.
- WNC Year One Self-Evaluation Report (3-1-2011)
- WNC Year One Peer-Evaluation Report (3-1 to 5-6-2011)
- WNCs 2014 Mid Cycle Self-Evaluation
2010 Self-Study Documents
NWCCU most recently reaffirmed WNCs accreditation in 2011.