Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities NWCCU

Overview

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is a non-profit, regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Established in 1952, NWCCU accredits institutions of higher education across seven U.S. states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Its mission is to ensure that accredited institutions meet rigorous standards of quality and effectiveness, fostering continuous improvement and promoting equitable student achievement and success.

History and Legal Framework

Incorporated as a private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Washington state, NWCCU was founded to provide regional accreditation to higher education institutions in the Pacific Northwest. The commission operates under a set of bylaws and policies that align with federal regulations and accreditation standards. Over the decades, NWCCU has evolved to address the changing landscape of higher education, adapting its processes to emphasize data-informed decision-making, institutional effectiveness, and student success.

Mission, Vision, and Objectives

According to NWCCU, its mission is to accredit institutions of higher education by applying data- and evidence-informed standards and processes to support continuous improvements and promote equitable student achievement and success. The commission's vision is to be a leader in fostering a culture of continuous improvement in higher education. Its objectives include:

• Ensuring that accredited institutions meet high standards of quality and effectiveness.
• Promoting a culture of continuous institutional improvement.
• Supporting institutions in their efforts to close equity gaps and enhance student success.
• Providing a transparent and rigorous accreditation process that fosters accountability and trust.

Governance, Structure, and Independence

NWCCU is governed by a Board of Commissioners composed of educators and professionals from various sectors of higher education. The commission operates independently, with decisions made by the Board based on established standards and policies. The governance structure ensures that accreditation decisions are objective, transparent, and focused on promoting institutional quality and student success. The commission's staff supports the Board by managing accreditation processes, providing guidance to institutions, and facilitating communication among stakeholders.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation Role in Higher Education

NWCCU's accreditation process involves a comprehensive evaluation of an institution's mission, resources, and effectiveness. Institutions seeking accreditation must demonstrate their commitment to student success, institutional integrity, and continuous improvement. The commission's standards focus on areas such as student learning and achievement, resources and capacity, and planning and assessment. Through its accreditation process, NWCCU helps institutions identify strengths and areas for improvement, fostering a culture of quality and accountability.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

While NWCCU primarily serves institutions within the United States, it recognizes the importance of international cooperation in higher education. The commission is a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which collaborates with international accrediting bodies to promote quality assurance in higher education worldwide. NWCCU's engagement in these networks allows it to stay informed about global trends and best practices in accreditation and quality assurance.

Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

NWCCU's emphasis on data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement positions it to play a significant role in shaping the future of higher education. By promoting standards that focus on student success and institutional effectiveness, the commission encourages institutions to adapt to changing educational needs and challenges. NWCCU's commitment to equity and accountability ensures that accredited institutions are responsive to diverse student populations and are dedicated to closing achievement gaps.

Summary

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is a vital accrediting agency that ensures higher education institutions in the Pacific Northwest meet rigorous standards of quality and effectiveness. Through its comprehensive accreditation process, NWCCU fosters a culture of continuous improvement, supports student success, and promotes institutional accountability. The commission's work contributes to the advancement of higher education by encouraging institutions to align their missions with the evolving needs of students and society.

FAQs

1. What is the role of NWCCU in higher education?

   NWCCU accredits institutions of higher education in the Pacific Northwest, ensuring they meet standards of quality and effectiveness.

2. How does NWCCU support institutions?

   NWCCU provides a rigorous accreditation process that helps institutions identify areas for improvement and fosters a culture of continuous quality enhancement.

3. Is NWCCU recognized by the U.S. Department of Education?

   Yes, NWCCU is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

4. Does NWCCU engage in international cooperation?

   While NWCCU primarily serves U.S. institutions, it participates in international networks through its membership in CHEA, promoting global quality assurance in higher education.

5. How can institutions apply for accreditation with NWCCU?

   Institutions interested in accreditation can visit the NWCCU website to learn about eligibility requirements, standards, and the application process.

Organization Name

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Acronym

NWCCU

Year of Establishment

1/01/1917

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

Local or Regional

Recognized by

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA); U.S. Department of Education

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

162

Address

8060 165th Avenue, NE, Suite 100
Redmond
98052 Washington United States

Phone

+1 (425) 558-4224

Fax

+1 (205) 525-9848

List of universities accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU):

1) Aaniiih Nakoda College
Accredited (1993 - present)
Tribal
2) Alaska Pacific University
Accredited (1981 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
3) Bastyr University
Accredited (1989 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
4) Bates Technical College
Accredited (1988 - present)
Public
5) Bellevue College
Accredited (1970 - present)
Public
6) Bellingham Technical College
Accredited (1999 - present)
Public
7) Big Bend Community College
Accredited (1965 - present)
Public
8) Blackfeet Community College
Accredited (1985 - present)
Tribal
9) Blue Mountain Community College
Accredited (1968 - present)
Public
10) Boise State University
Accredited (1941 - present)
Public
11) Brigham Young University
Accredited (1923 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
12) Brigham Young University – Idaho
Accredited (1936 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
13) Bushnell University
Accredited (1962 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
14) Capilano University
Accredited (2012 - present)
Public
15) Carroll College
Accredited (1949 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
16) Cascadia College
Accredited (2006 - present)
Public
17) Central Oregon Community College
Accredited (1966 - present)
Public
18) Central Washington University
Accredited (1918 - present)
Public
19) Centralia College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
20) Chemeketa Community College
Accredited (1972 - present)
Public
21) Chief Dull Knife College
Accredited (1996 - present)
Tribal
22) City University of Seattle
Accredited (1978 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
23) Clackamas Community College
Accredited (1971 - present)
Public
24) Clark College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
25) Clatsop Community College
Accredited (1965 - present)
Public
26) Clover Park Technical College
Accredited (1999 - present)
Public
27) College of Eastern Idaho
Accredited (1982 - present)
Public
28) College of Southern Idaho
Accredited (1968 - present)
Public
29) College of Southern Nevada
Accredited (1975 - present)
Public
30) College of Western Idaho
Accredited (2016 - present)
Public
31) Columbia Basin College
Accredited (1960 - present)
Public
32) Columbia Gorge Community College
Accredited (2012 - present)
Public
33) Corban University
Accredited (1971 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
34) Cornish College of the Arts
Accredited (1977 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
35) Dawson Community College
Accredited (1969 - present)
Public
36) Eastern Oregon University
Accredited (1931 - present)
Public
37) Eastern Washington University
Accredited (1919 - present)
Public
38) Edmonds College
Accredited (1973 - present)
Public
39) Ensign College
Accredited (1977 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
40) Everett Community College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
41) Flathead Valley Community College
Accredited (1970 - present)
Public
42) Fort Peck Community College
Accredited (1991 - present)
Tribal
43) George Fox University
Accredited (1959 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
44) Gonzaga University
Accredited (1927 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
45) Grays Harbor College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
46) Great Basin College
Accredited (1974 - present)
Public
47) Great Falls College Montana State University
Accredited (1979 - present)
Public
48) Great Northern University
Applicant (2019 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
49) Green River College
Accredited (1967 - present)
Public
50) Helena College University of Montana
Accredited (1977 - present)
Public
51) Heritage University
Accredited (1986 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
52) Highline College
Accredited (1965 - present)
Public
53) Idaho State University
Accredited (1918 - present)
Public
54) Ilisagvik College
Accredited (2002 - present)
Tribal
55) Joyce University of Nursing & Health Sciences
Accredited (2021 - present)
Private (For-Profit)
56) Klamath Community College
Accredited (2004 - present)
Public
57) Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Accredited (1981 - present)
Public
58) Lane Community College
Accredited (1968 - present)
Public
59) Lewis and Clark College
Accredited (1943 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
60) Lewis-Clark State College
Accredited (1964 - present)
Public
61) Linfield University
Accredited (1928 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
62) Linn-Benton Community College
Accredited (1972 - present)
Public
63) Little Big Horn College
Accredited (1989 - present)
Tribal
64) Lower Columbia College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
65) Miles Community College
Accredited (1971 - present)
Public
66) Montana State University – Billings
Accredited (1932 - present)
Public
67) Montana State University – Bozeman
Accredited (1932 - present)
Public
68) Montana State University – Northern
Accredited (1932 - present)
Public
69) Montana Technological University
Accredited (1932 - present)
Public
70) Mount Angel Seminary
Accredited (1929 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
71) Mt. Hood Community College
Accredited (1972 - present)
Public
72) Multnomah University
Accredited (2005 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
73) National University of Natural Medicine
Accredited (2004 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
74) Neumont College of Computer Science
Accredited (2022 - present)
Private (For-Profit)
75) Nevada State College
Accredited (2010 - present)
Public
76) New Saint Andrews College
Applicant (2021 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
77) Nightingale College
Accredited (2023 - present)
Private (For-Profit)
78) North Idaho College
Accredited (1947 - present)
Public
79) North Seattle College
Accredited (1973 - present)
Public
80) Northwest Indian College
Accredited (1993 - present)
Tribal
81) Northwest Nazarene University
Accredited (1930 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
82) Northwest University
Accredited (1973 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
83) Olympic College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
84) Oregon Coast Community College
Accredited (2020 - present)
Public
85) Oregon Health and Science University
Accredited (1980 - present)
Public
86) Oregon Institute of Technology
Accredited (1962 - present)
Public
87) Oregon State University
Accredited (1924 - present)
Public
88) Pacific Lutheran University
Accredited (1936 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
89) Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
Accredited (2017 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
90) Pacific University
Accredited (1929 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
91) Peninsula College
Accredited (1965 - present)
Public
92) Pierce College
Accredited (1972 - present)
Public
93) Portland Community College
Accredited (1970 - present)
Public
94) Portland State University
Accredited (1955 - present)
Public
95) Reed College
Accredited (1920 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
96) Renton Technical College
Accredited (1978 - present)
Public
97) Rocky Mountain College
Accredited (1949 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
98) Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
Accredited (2010 - present)
Private (For-Profit)
99) Rogue Community College
Accredited (1976 - present)
Public
100) Roseman University of Health Sciences
Accredited (2008 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
101) Saint Martin’s University
Accredited (1933 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
102) Salish Kootenai College
Accredited (1984 - present)
Tribal
103) Salt Lake Community College
Accredited (1969 - present)
Public
104) Seattle Central College
Accredited (1970 - present)
Public
105) Seattle Pacific University
Accredited (1933 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
106) Seattle University
Accredited (1935 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
107) Shoreline Community College
Accredited (1966 - present)
Public
108) Simon Fraser University
Accredited (2015 - present)
Public
109) Skagit Valley College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
110) Snow College
Accredited (1953 - present)
Public
111) South Puget Sound Community College
Accredited (1975 - present)
Public
112) South Seattle College
Accredited (1975 - present)
Public
113) Southern Oregon University
Accredited (1928 - present)
Public
114) Southern Utah University
Accredited (1933 - present)
Public
115) Southwestern Oregon Community College
Accredited (1966 - present)
Public
116) Spokane Community College
Accredited (1967 - present)
Public
117) Spokane Falls Community College
Accredited (1967 - present)
Public
118) Stone Child College
Accredited (1993 - present)
Tribal
119) Tacoma Community College
Accredited (1967 - present)
Public
120) The College of Idaho
Accredited (1922 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
121) The Evergreen State College
Accredited (1974 - present)
Public
122) The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
Accredited (2020 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
123) The University of Montana – Missoula
Accredited (1932 - present)
Public
124) The University of Montana – Western
Accredited (1932 - present)
Public
125) Thompson Rivers University
Accredited (2018 - present)
Public
126) Tillamook Bay Community College
Accredited (2013 - present)
Public
127) Treasure Valley Community College
Accredited (1966 - present)
Public
128) Truckee Meadows Community College
Accredited (1980 - present)
Public
129) Umpqua Community College
Accredited (1970 - present)
Public
130) University of Alaska Anchorage
Accredited (1974 - present)
Public
131) University of Alaska Fairbanks
Accredited (1934 - present)
Public
132) University of Alaska Southeast
Accredited (1983 - present)
Public
133) University of Idaho
Accredited (1918 - present)
Public
134) University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Accredited (1964 - present)
Public
135) University of Nevada, Reno
Accredited (1938 - present)
Public
136) University of Oregon
Accredited (1918 - present)
Public
137) University of Portland
Accredited (1931 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
138) University of Providence
Accredited (1935 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
139) University of Puget Sound
Accredited (1923 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
140) University of Utah
Accredited (1933 - present)
Public
141) University of Washington
Accredited (1918 - present)
Public
142) University of Western States
Accredited (1986 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
143) Utah State University
Accredited (1924 - present)
Public
144) Utah Tech University
Accredited (1945 - present)
Public
145) Utah Valley University
Accredited (1969 - present)
Public
146) Walla Walla Community College
Accredited (1969 - present)
Public
147) Walla Walla University
Accredited (1932 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
148) Warner Pacific University
Accredited (1961 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
149) Washington State University
Accredited (1918 - present)
Public
150) Weber State University
Accredited (1932 - present)
Public
151) Wenatchee Valley College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public
152) Western Governors University
Accredited (2003 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
153) Western Nevada College
Accredited (1975 - present)
Public
154) Western Oregon University
Accredited (1924 - present)
Public
155) Western Seminary
Accredited (1969 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
156) Western Washington University
Accredited (1921 - present)
Public
157) Westminster College
Accredited (1936 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
158) Whatcom Community College
Accredited (1976 - present)
Public
159) Whitman College
Accredited (1918 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
160) Whitworth University
Accredited (1933 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
161) Willamette University
Accredited (1924 - present)
Private (Non-Profit)
162) Yakima Valley College
Accredited (1948 - present)
Public

Official Social Media Channels

Facebook

Not available

X (Twitter)

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities's X page

LinkedIn

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities's LinkedIn profile

YouTube

Not available

Instagram

Not available

Wikipedia Article

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities's Wikipedia article

Unlock your University's potential: spotlight your Institution on UniRank for leads, local recognition and branding. Enquiry now to feature your University here.

Explore other US higher education-related organizations and authorities.

Find top-ranked Universities in the United States.

Search for courses and scholarships with the uniRank World Universities Search Engine.