AUA Hosts WASC Senior College and University Commission

2 min read

September 22, 2014  – From September 16 to 18, the American University of Armenia hosted a site visit team from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) as part of its reaffirmation of accreditation.

This site visit, the final step in the three-stage process of reaffirmation of accreditation, focused on the university’s educational effectiveness.  The prior visit, in 2012, focused on the university’s capacity and preparedness.

The site visit team consisted of distinguished university professors and academic leaders from other WSCUC-accredited universities: Deborah Freund, President Claremont Graduate University; Laura Martin, University of California Merced; Cecile Lindsay, California State University Long Beach; Geoffrey Chase, San Diego State University; and Sheryl Bourgeois, Chapman University. Barbara Gross Davis, Vice President at WSCUC also participated in the visit.

As part of the visit, team members met with the university’s leadership as well as academic support units such as the Library, Information and Communication Technologies Services, the Center for Student Success, and Offices of Assessment and Accreditation, the Registrar and Admissions. They also met with committees including the Faculty Senate, Student Learning Committee, and Curriculum Committee. The team held a lunch meeting with the undergraduate student council and open meetings with students and alumni, staff, and faculty.

On the last day of the visit, the team held an open meeting during which they presented an overview of their commendations and recommendations for AUA’s continued development, which were positive and constructive. The full report of the site visit will be available later this year.

AUA initiated the accreditation process in 1998, was granted Candidate status in 2002, and reached an historic milestone when accreditation was granted effective August 2006. Accreditation helps assure the quality and international recognition of AUA degrees. Reaffirmation of accreditation takes place periodically, usually every 7-10 years. This is AUA’s second cycle, or reaffirmation, of accreditation. The first cycle took place nearly a decade ago and concluded with AUA’s initial accreditation.

For more information about AUA’saccreditationvisit

http://aua.am/accreditation-affiliations/,

To read AUA’s Self Study and view a schedule of the recent site visit

http://aua.am/educational-effectiveness-review/

The American University of Armenia is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.