Peer review by expert evaluators is the cornerstone of the regional accreditation system. Each year NWCCU trains a cohort of new evaluators offering expertise in a variety of areas.
Nominations to become a peer evaluator may be sent to the Commission office at any time of year; however, NWCCU specifically communicates with institutions once a year, often in the spring, requesting evaluator nominations from the president and accreditation liaison officer of each institution.
Nominations should include the nominee’s name, title, institution name, email address, and phone number. If possible, a CV is also appreciated. Nominations should be emailed to Mellissa Thoreson (mthoreson@nwccu.org).
Nominees are then placed on NWCCU’s list of nominated peer evaluator candidates. This list is used when determining attendance for trainings.
The Commission conducts New Peer Evaluator Training each year at NWCCU’s Annual Conference. Training attendance is limited, and selection is based on several factors, but most often includes areas of Commission need for upcoming evaluation visits. Selected participants are notified and invited by email to register for the scheduled training. NWCCU covers attendance at the training and all evaluation-related expenses for peer evaluators.
If a nominee was not selected for the scheduled New Peer Evaluator Training, their name remains on the list of nominated peer evaluator candidates. This list is reviewed each year, and nominees are notified of subsequent training opportunities.
NWCCU looks for candidates with expertise in areas such as:
- Institutional Finance
- Library and Information Resources
- Human Resources
- Student Support
- Academics
- Assessment
- Strategic Planning
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
If you have additional questions regarding peer evaluation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, please contact the Commission office at (425) 558-4224 or email Mellissa Thoreson, Director of Institutional Evaluation and Planning at mthoreson@nwccu.org.
