The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) has updated five policies to reflect NWCCU’s practice and its compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s Accreditation Handbook. Information on these revisions will be provided to the institutional Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALO) during the Townhall conversation on July 23, 2025.  

The revised documents are linked below with a summary of changes to each and the impact on NWCCU member institutions. 

Accreditation Criteria Policy 

Reason for review and revision: Regular review. Last revised in December 2020.  

Summary of changes: 

1. Added a sentence at the beginning that says, Member or Candidate institutions must commit to following these Processes and Procedures, NWCCU Standards and ERs, and NWCCU Policies as a condition of accreditation.
2. In the section on international institutions, added “also” to ensure that these conditions are in addition to the requirements in the opening paragraph that apply to all NWCCU Member and Candidate institutions.   

Impact of changes: None. These requirements already exist, but this clarifies the expectations in this policy.  

Accreditation Liaison Officer Policy 

Reason for review and revision: Regular review. Last reviewed and updated in June 2020.   

Summary of changes: 

1. In the selection of ALO section, added: (1) Role commensurate with confidential communications regarding the institution and (2) Access to programmatic changes at the institution and other substantive change matters.  
2. Added a primary duty of communicating matters of importance, particularly related to accreditation at the institution.  

Impact of changes: Institutions must review the responsibilities to ensure that the ALO at the institution is involved in matters of importance for accreditation at the institution in order to effectively conduct the ALO’s primary duties.  

Administrative Procedures for Institutional Visits and Board of Commissioner Meetings Policy 

Reason for review and revision: Adjusting reporting and communication dates to reflect current NWCCU practice and make critical notification and report dates predictable for institutions.  Last reviewed March 2023. 

Summary of changes: 

1. The institutional notification for upcoming evaluation by NWCCU was changed from 120 calendar days to four (4) months.
2. The 45 or 60-day timeline for report submission by institutions, depending on report type, was changed to six (6) and eight (8) weeks, respectively.    

Impact of changes: No change to current agency or institutional practice; updated policy language accurately reflects other agency communications with institutions.  

Arbitration Policy 

Reason for review and revision: Making minor changes to reflect updates with arbitration practices. Last reviewed and revised in 2024.  

Summary of changes: 

1. Specifies the arbitrator is the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS) representative.   

Impact of changes: None. Reflects intended practice.  

Related Entities Policy 

Reason for review and revision: Regular review. Last reviewed in June 2019.  

Summary of changes: 

1. Clarified throughout the document the references to the NWCCU Candidate or Member Institution and Related Entities.
2. Added language requiring notification to NWCCU upon any material change in the relationship between the Institution and the Related Entity. 
3. Added language recommending participation by a representative of the Related Entity during a comprehensive accreditation visit.  
4. Removed the Exhibit with the Certification example because these cases are each unique and the Certification example did not necessarily provide the required specific information in the event NWCCU requested confirmation of the relationship with the Related Entity.  

Impact of changes: None, other than the recommended participation of a Related Entity representative during comprehensive accreditation visits.  

NWCCU Bylaws

(updated version to be posted soon) 

Reason for review and revision: To address the following: 

1. Clarify Commissioner officer roles and term lengths.
2. Clarify replacement processes for Chair and Vice Chair roles, in the event those positions are vacated prior to the end of the term. 
3. Clarify items that may be addressed by the Executive Committee of the Commission on behalf of the Commission between regular or special meetings. 
4. Clarify composition of the Executive Committee of the Commission resulting from changes to officer positions. 

Summary of changes:  

1. Removed Immediate Past Chair role from the Commission. Chair and Vice Chair remain as two-year terms with automatic succession from the Vice Chair to Chair role.  
2. Changed references to January and June Commission meetings to Winter and Summer. 
3. Clarified that the Executive Committee could act on behalf of the Commission to confirm the appointment of officers or committee members made by the Chair.  
4. Clarified that the Vice Chair automatically becomes Chair if the Chair vacates their role prior to the end of their two-year term. A subsequent vacancy in the Vice Chair role would be filled by the processes described in the Bylaws.  
5. Changed the composition of the Executive Committee to include the Chair; Vice Chair; Secretary; Treasurer; Chair of Nominations Committee; Chair of Audit Committee; and Chair of Bylaws, Standards, and Policies Committee. This composition must still represent both academic and administrative ranks and at least one member shall be a public representative. 

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The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) has updated its Bylaws and nine Policies to reflect NWCCU’s practice and its compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s Accreditation Handbook. Information on these revisions was provided to the institutional Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALO) during the Townhall conversation on February 23, 2024.  

The revised documents are linked below with a summary of changes to each and the impact on  NWCCU member institutions.

NWCCU Bylaws 

Changes:  

• Updated NWCCU’s Scope of Recognition as approved by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).   These changes identify NWCCU’s geographic area of accrediting activities as “throughout the United States” in lieu of “regional;” adds “correspondence education” and the Executive Committee as a decision-making body. 
• Clarified the required make-up of the Commission, including the number of public representatives; identified the members of the Executive Committee; clarified that the Vice Chair assumes the role of Chair upon vacancy; established the Immediate Past Chair as the chair of the Nominating Committee; clarified the role of the Finance Committee; and clarified that the Commission may meet via videoconference. 

Impact: Correspondence education was not previously in NWCCU’s scope. Institutions with programs offered via correspondence should submit these to NWCCU for approval to bring them under institutional accreditation. Additional Policy and Substantive Change procedures related to correspondence education are forthcoming. 

Accreditation Actions Policy 

Changes: Clarified sections as required by USDE, including the definition of adverse actions. 

Impact: This Policy lists the various accreditation actions, including sanctions and adverse actions. The ALO and President should understand the implications of each possible accreditation action and the procedures associated with sanctions and adverse actions. 

Arbitration Policy 

Changes: Changed from using an internally-managed roster of arbitrators from which a Board of Arbitrators would be co-selected by the institution and NWCCU to using a single arbitrator from JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services). Additionally, clarified that this Policy applies to initial arbitration, which does not limit potential future litigation. 

Impact: This Policy establishes procedure for member institutions that exhaust the Appeals process following an adverse action. Changes have no immediate institutional impact. 

Communication with Accreditation Constituencies and Title IV Oversight Policy 

Changes: Changed from calendar days to business days for NWCCU notification to the Secretary to align with Federal regulation. 

Impact: This Policy describes the types of information NWCCU shares about its member institutions with various constituencies, including its institutions, the public, and other members of the Regulatory Triad,  and includes procedures for maintaining confidentiality. Changes have no immediate institutional impact. 

Complaints Against NWCCU Policy 

Changes: Clarified the process of the review and adjusted the timeline to align with other policies related to complaints. 

Impact: This policy describes the process and timetable for complaints against NWCCU related to its lack of compliance instituting Eligibility Requirements, Standards for Accreditation, Policies, published procedures, or Federal regulations. The ALO and institution should understand this process and timetable. 

Complaints Regarding Member or Candidate Institutions Policy 

Changes: Clarified the process of the review and adjusted the timeline to align with other policies related to complaints. 

Impact: The ALO and institution should understand the process and timetable required by this Policy when a complaint is filed against their institution. 

Personally Identifiable Information Policy 

Changes: Significantly updated the list of personally identifiable information. 

Impact: ALOs and institutions should review what types of information are considered personally identifiable information and should be redacted (in most cases) when communicated to NWCCU. 

Procedures to Close a Program, Branch Campus, or Institution Policy 

Changes: Noted NWCCU’s authority to waive requirements regarding the percentage of credits that must be earned at an institution in the context of teach-out per USDE regulation. 

Impact: This policy impacts both sending and receiving institutions involved in a teach-out. 

Receipt of Unsolicited Information Policy 

Changes: Clarified the process of the review and adjusted the timeline to align with other policies related to complaints. Added that NWCCU must respond to an adverse accreditation action by another recognized accreditor. 

Impact: If NWCCU is notified by a programmatic accreditor of an adverse accreditation action (e.g., probation, show cause, loss of accreditation) against an institution, NWCCU will seek information on the impact of the adverse action and plans for an institutional response. The Commission will determine the potential impact of the adverse action on the institution’s institutional accreditation. 

Substantive Change Policy 

Changes: Clarified the timelines for substantive change review and the qualifications of reviewers in compliance with updated Federal requirements. 

Impact: The ALO and institution should review this policy to ensure compliance by developing strong internal systems for receiving approval of substantive changes prior to advertising or implementing changes as required. 

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The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is pleased to announce that, per the Commission’s Bylaws, the Board of Commissioners endorsed the election of several commissioners during the 2023 June Commission Meeting held in Seattle, Washington.

These include:

• Dr. Lisa Avery, President of Linn-Benton Community College, will begin her first three-year term replacing Commissioner Marta Yera Cronin, President of Columbia Gorge Community College.
• Dr. Marie Chisholm-Burns, Executive Vice President and Provost of Oregon Health and Science University will serve her first three-year term replacing Commissioner Susan Capalbo of Oregon State University.
• Dr. Beckie Hermansen, Director of Institutional Research of Snow College, will serve her first three-year term replacing Commissioner Brad Mortensen of Weber State University.

The NWCCU Board of Commissioners congratulates and welcomes the new and returning commissioners and offers its sincere appreciation to the departing commissioners for their service and support of accreditation and excellence in higher education in the Pacific Northwest.

The NWCCU Board of Commissioners also thanks members of its Nominations Committee, NWCCU staff, and presidents, chancellors, and CEOs of NWCCU member institutions for their help with this process.

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At the March 10 Executive Committee, the following policies were revised:

• Appeals Procedure Policy
• Arbitration Policy
• Complaints Against NWCCU Policy
• Complaints Regarding Member or Candidate Institutions Policy
• Direct Assessment and Competency-Based Education Policy
• Review of Standards for Accreditation, Eligibility Requirements, and Policies Policy
• Public Disclosures Required by Institutions Policy
• Record of Student Complaints Policy

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A meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the NWCCU was held at the Grand Hyatt Seattle in Seattle, WA on January 25-27, 2023.

Ten institutions appeared for the Year Seven Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness. The following provides a breakdown of the additional evaluation types reviewed during the meeting:

• Mid-Cycle Evaluations: 12
• Financial Resources Reviews: 2
• Ad Hoc Reports: 9
• Interim Candidacy Reviews: 1

Please see the Summary of Actions Report for more information on these reviews.

The Board of Commissioners revised its USDE Scope of Recognition and USDE Geographic Area of Accrediting Activities under Article 1 of the Bylaws.

The Board of Commissioners also adopted the following policy:

• Personally Identifiable Information Submitted to NWCCU: Clarifies that NWCCU does not need or want personally identifiable information (address, telephone number, birth date, email address, Social Security number, bank information, health information, individual student financial receivables, or employee pay information of students or employees).

Policies can be found on the NWCCU website at: https://nwccu.org/accreditation/standards-policies/policies/.

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Updates to Policies and Bylaws

Executive Summary

Changes, mostly minor, were made to the following policies, Bylaws, and Eligibility Requirements at the June 2022 Commission Meeting:

• Website: Notification of Opportunity for Comment – eliminates third-party comments submitted via email. Comments can be uploaded using an online form or submitted by mail
• Bylaws: Section 5.1 updated – Chair of the Nominations Committee changed
• Eligibility Requirement 20, Financial Accountability updated
• Ethics, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
• Policy on Communication with Accreditation Constituencies
• Policy on Complaints Regarding Member or Candidate Institutions
• Policy on Legal Costs and Other Obligations

Website: Notification of Opportunity for Comment

Link: https://nwccu.org/member-institutions/upcoming-evaluations/

Purpose: Updated the NWCCU web page to eliminate email third party comments – they can be submitted using an online form, or by mail. Comments must be received 10 days before the start of the visit.

Scope: Process update

Impact: ALOs need to point individuals that might want to provide a third-party comment to the updated NWCCU web page.

Bylaws: Section 5.1

Purpose: Section 5.1 updated to change who chairs the Nominations Committee. Eliminates a potential conflict of interest when the Board Vice Chair might be in line to move into the Chair role. Having the Immediate Past Chair of the Commission serve as Chair eliminates this conflict.

Scope: Minor change

Impact: No impact

Eligibility Requirement 20, Financial Accountability

Purpose: Eligibility Requirement 20, Financial Accountability was updated to allow up to 15 months after the end of the fiscal year for institutions to provide their audited financial statements to NWCCU. This resolves an on-going issue that some institutions have of not being able to get their audited financial statements completed within the 9 months formerly required.

Scope: Updated to resolve an issue out of our institutions’ control

Impact: Creates the potential for the institution’s audited financial statement to become available outside of the Annual Report period. The ALO may need to provide the audited financial statement to NWCCU separately from the Annual Report.

Ethics, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Purpose: Not a policy, but a Statement describing NWCCU’s commitments

Scope: New statement

Impact: ALOs should be aware of this Statement

Policy on Communication with Accreditation Constituencies

Purpose: Minor policy update to:

• Apply the policy to candidacy and initial accreditation visits as well as Year 7 visits
• Set a deadline of ten days before the visit for receipt of third-party comments
• Require redaction of personally identifiable information on evaluation team members if an institution publishes peer evaluation reports on their website

Scope: Minor changes

Impact: ALOs need to be aware of these changes: Third-party comments now required for Candidacy and Initial Accreditation visits as well as Year 7 (EIE) visits; third-party comments must be submitted 10 days before the visit, and peer evaluator names must be redacted before the peer evaluation report is published on the institution’s website (publishing the peer evaluation report is not required, but some institutions choose to do so). Note: NWCCU will be updating its procedures to remove the peer evaluator names from the peer evaluation report to eliminate the need for redaction in the future.

Policy on Complaints Regarding Member or Candidate Institutions

Purpose: Clarification edits to align policy with current procedures

Scope: Minor changes

Impact: ALOs should be aware of this policy, and reference it if contacted by NWCCU about a complaint

Policy on Legal Costs and Other Obligations

Purpose: Updates to remove the term “indemnify” and make clear that the policy applies to both candidate and member institutions

Scope: Minor change

Impact: No impact

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Updates to Processes & Fees

Process to Evaluate and Approve Substantive Change Proposals

On July 29, 2022, the Executive Committee, acting on behalf of the NWCCU Board of Commissioners, approved the process for approval of Substantive Change requests that fall under 34 CFR 602.22(a)(1)(ii) (C), (E), (F), (H), and (J), which may be approved by NWCCU’s senior staff, under the United States Department of Education’s regulations.

In contrast, Substantive Change requests under 34 CFR 602.22(a)(1)(ii) (A), (B), (D) (G), (I), and (K) require approval by the Commission.

Please contact your NWCCU Staff Liaison for details on this new process.

Change to Onsite Peer Evaluation Visit Fees

On July 29, 2022, the Executive Committee, acting on behalf of the NWCCU Board of Commissioners, approved a change to billing for onsite peer evaluation visit fees. This change becomes effective September 1, 2022.

Currently, NWCCU member institutions are charged a fee of $2,500 for each evaluator and NWCCU staff liaison plus actual travel costs for the evaluation visit. NWCCU has heard from several institutions that this model creates several challenges, including difficulty to budget for evaluation visits.

Billing for the new evaluation fee will include the evaluation fee of $2,500 for each evaluator and NWCCU staff liaison and a flat $2,000 amount to cover the cost of travel. The latter amount was calculated based recent travel costs associated with evaluation visits. The proposed fee and billing structure is as follows:

• Institutions to undergo Year Seven Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness are evaluated by a team of Peer Evaluators, which is accompanied by an NWCCU Staff Liaison. Institutions are invoiced for the evaluation fees ($4,500 per evaluator and per NWCCU staff liaison) in advance of the onsite evaluation visit
• Institutions to undergo Mid-Cycle Review are evaluated by a team of Peer Evaluators only. Institutions are invoiced for the evaluation fees ($4,500 per evaluator) in advance of the onsite evaluation visit
• Institutions to undergo Ad Hoc Review with a Visit or Financial Resources Review with a Visit are evaluated by a team of Peer Evaluators only. Institutions are invoiced for the evaluation fees ($4,500 per evaluator) in advance of the onsite evaluation visit

Note that the flat $2,000 fee to cover travel costs will be reviewed and revised as needed around June/July of each year; domestic institutions outside NWCCU’s traditional region of seven states and British Columbia and international institutions will be required to pay a surcharge to cover additional travel expenses.

Please contact your NWCCU Staff Liaison for details on this new fee structure.

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Recently, the NWCCU Board of Commissioners approved updates to the following policies and NWCCU Bylaws:

POLICIES

• Accreditation Criteria Policy
• Antitrust Policy
• Appeals Procedure
• Arbitration Policy
• Conflict of Interest Policy
• Gift Policy
• Institutions Accredited by Another Accreditor Policy
• Legal Costs and Obligations Policy

Policies can be found on the NWCCU website at: https://www.nwccu.org/accreditation/standards-policies/policies/

BYLAWS

The Purpose section of the Bylaws was updated to reflect that NWCCU is no longer restricted to a particular geographic area. The new language lists the states and province that comprise our historic region while clarifying that we are authorized to accredit higher education institutions in other domestic and international geographic areas.

Bylaws can be found on the NWCCU website at: https://www.nwccu.org/about-nwccu/bylaws/

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The Accreditation Handbook is a formal, technical manual that covers the full process of becoming and staying accredited with NWCCU. Periodically we review our processes and make updates in response to changes in policies, procedures, and federal regulations. We are releasing Version: September 2020 of the Accreditation Handbook; some modifications of note:

• Terminology of “institutional accreditation” changed to “institutional accreditation”. Under the new 2020 USDE Regulations, the former institutional accreditors are now no longer geographically restricted and can operate nationally.
• Processes aligned with the 2020 Standards such as the optional use of continuing Core Themes, updated clarification on citation of standards, and process document for the Year Six, Standard Two, Policies, Regulations, and Financial Review (PRFR).
• Provided additional detail and clarification to the Applicant, Candidate, and Accredited status.
• Updated the instructions on reports and document submissions.
• Streamlined superfluous information that is housed elsewhere, supplying links to where it can be found on the NWCCU website.

Accreditation Handbook

Redlined version comparing Version: March 2020 to Version: September 2020

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