UH Hilo accreditation renewed for seven years
News Release from University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo March 9, 2015
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has renewed accreditation for the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo for seven years, noting in an announcement letter to Chancellor Don Straney, dated March 6, the large number of new initiatives that strengthen the University in areas that have been problematic in the past.
A review team from WASC’s Senior College and University Commission visited the Hilo campus last fall, and recommended to grant UH Hilo accreditation through 2022, with an interim report due in spring of 2017, a mid-cycle review in 2019, and a full review in 2021.
“The visiting WASC team was impressed by the level of commitment and passion exhibited by our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and they commended us on knowing our mission and vision well and in using both to inform what we do,” said Straney.
During the review process, UH Hilo was part of a group of pilot institutions to test a new institutional review process in advance of the 2013 approval of the new Handbook of Accreditation. In the pilot, institutions were asked to focus on new areas that had not been previously required.
Noting that UH Hilo was forging new ground, the review team noted the University’s level of “candor, transparency, self-awareness, and commitment to continuous learning” that “demonstrated a high level of quality and rigor invested in the accreditation process.”
The commission highlighted several areas for special recognition, among them:
• A sense of place, which conveys the importance Hilo feels about passing the culture of Hawai‘i Island to the current generation while at the same time focusing on the creation of new meanings for the future.
• A mission rooted in Hawaiian traditions, notably in the area of applied learning experiences, including community based projects, service learning, research internships, practica, creative activities and capstone projects.
• Strong, well-respected leadership as well as committed staff and faculty—key elements in ensuring longer-term educational effectiveness and financial sustainability. The review team concluded, “UH Hilo is a campus of resiliency in action.”
The commission also offered guidance in areas the University could strengthen, including the “remarkable” applied learning program, retention and graduation rates, review for academic programs, and distance education.
“I want to give a special mahalo to the people on UH Hilo’s WASC Accreditation Committee who worked hard preparing the institutional report that served as the basis for the visit,” said Straney. “I also want to thank our alumni who met with the team. Their description of UH Hilo as a transformative educational experience greatly impressed the review team.”
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UH West Oʻahu accreditation reaffirmed by WASC
News Release from UH System, March 9, 2015
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission reaffirmed accreditation for theUniversity of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu for the next seven years and removed the Notice of Concern status, as communicated in a letter dated March 6.
“Our faculty, staff and students have worked hard to create a student-centered environment at the university and a culture of assessment and continual improvement. We look forward to continuing to offer our students the high quality educational experience they deserve here at UHWest Oʻahu,” said UH West Oʻahu Chancellor Rockne Freitas. “It was truly a collaborative effort by the entire university to address the commission’s recommendation.”
“WASC found that UH West Oʻahu addressed core commitments to student learning and success, quality and improvement, and institutional integrity, sustainability, and accountability,” said UH West Oʻahu Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation Liaison Officer,Jacqueline Honda. “These are areas that weʻve worked hard to address. WASC’s reaffirmation of our accreditation confirms our commitment to making UH West Oʻahu the best campus possible.”
The next WASC visit is scheduled for spring 2022, with a mid-cycle review in 2019. The university is required to submit an interim report in fall 2018 to notify the commission about progress made on the commission’s recommendations related to:
- Resource planning and development toward financial stability
- Growing faculty capacity
- Clarifying decision-making structures and processes
- Developing assessment systems
- Strategizing distance education delivery
Download a copy of the March 6 WASC letter reaffirming accreditation. In July 2012, the WASC Senior College and University Commission issued a letter notifying UH West Oʻahu of its reaccreditation with notice of concern status. UH West Oʻahu has remained fully accredited since 1981.