Accreditation

As defined by the Department of Education, the purpose of accreditation is to ensure that higher education institutions meet acceptable levels of quality. Lane is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental, self-regulatory process of quality assurance and institutional improvement. It is a continuous improvement cycle that begins anew each 7 years. 

Here's a visual of the 7-year cycle and an illustration of our purpose, outcomes and teams. 

Our outcomes are to: align effort with Planning & Institutional Effectiveness, complete and submit year 7 report (by ~June 2021), prepare for and host NWCCU members (in ~Oct 2021) and raise awareness of accreditation and continuous improvement.

What's New: Survey Results

Our Accreditation Communication and Engagement Team invited Lane employees to participate in a survey to gauge awareness about the accreditation process. Overall, most respondents were aware of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) accreditation process. The survey results also pointed to some areas to focus future communication to help our campus community understand the impact and purpose of accreditation.

It’s the Accreditation Communication and Engagement Team’s goal to raise awareness about the process as we prepare for our 2021 NWCCU site visit. So, over the next year, expect to learn more than you ever wanted to know about accreditation and your role in continuous improvement at Lane.

Lane Community College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation. Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution. For more information about Lane’s accredited status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities please contact the Accreditation Liaison Officer or the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, 8060 165th Avenue N.E., Suite 100, Redmond, WA 98052, (425) 558‐4224, www.nwccu.org. 

Coming soon!