The Office of the Provost oversees all accreditation and assessment activities across WashU.
WashU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1913. The HLC is an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit degree-granting colleges and universities. The HLC assesses the institution as a whole, including the soundness of its governance and administration, adherence to mission, the sustainability of its finances, and the sufficiency of its resources.
WashU participates in the HLC’s Open Pathway accreditation process. This process features a ten-year cycle which focuses on both assurance and improvement. Our current 10-year cycle takes place between 2015 and 2025. There are Assurance Reviews in Years 4 and 10. Between Years 5 and 9 of the ten-year cycle, Washington University will propose and complete a Quality Initiative. In year 10, Washington University will undergo a comprehensive evaluation. Components of the 2024 comprehensive evaluation can be found here.
In addition to the university-wide accreditation, each of Washington University’s professional schools are accredited by their school’s professional organization.
About Assessment
Assessment of student learning and assessment of student activities represent a vital part of WashU’s periodic institutional accreditation mandated by the HLC.
Assessment is the process of documenting — usually in measurable terms — knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the individual learner and/or the learning community (class, department, program, school).
Assessment assists faculty and administrators in understanding and improving the student experience. Faculty identifies learning goals and assesses learning outcomes at the level of the course, department (majors and minors), school, or university.
The University Assessment Committee is charged with the following:
- Advise the vice provost on assessment best practices on campus
- Develop and oversee General Education assessment (including those associated with annual Literacy and Numeracy assessment) and advise on other assessment initiatives related to undergraduate learning
- Solicit feedback on assessments currently underway and those being planned
- Find ways that the institution as a whole, as well as the individual schools, can gain fuller benefit from necessary assessment work done in pursuit of accreditation, curriculum development, and program review, as well as more-recent efforts to address educational equity and access and a host of related concerns.
Accreditation Contacts
Jennifer Smith, Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives
Jill Edwards, Senior Project Manager, University Accreditation
Heidi Kolk, Assistant Vice Provost for Assessment
Mark Valenzuela, Project Manager, Academic Compliance and Accreditation