College of Western Idaho (CWI) is on track to receive Initial Accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) in spring 2017. On Oct. 8-9, CWI welcomed representatives from the NWCCU to campus to conduct a Year Three Site Visit and Mid Cycle Review. The peer evaluators were Summer Kenesson—Executive Dean of Research, Planning and Student Success at Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Wash.—and Martin Heilstedt—Interim Dean of Instruction from Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood, Wash.
The Year Three/Mid-Cycle Evaluation visit is intended to be a formative and collegial evaluation with the institution in conversation with the evaluators. The purpose is to help CWI determine if current processes demonstrating outcomes assessment will lead to a successful Year Seven Self Evaluation and Peer Evaluation.
While on campus, the evaluators focused on conversations with faculty and staff whose programs/units were identified in the Mid-Cycle Report. Overall, the evaluators were impressed with CWI’s efforts and commitment to a comprehensive self-evaluation process and noted that the College’s processes appear robust. Evaluators also provided several suggestions of things to focus on while preparing the Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report and visit. Those comments are reflected in their report to the Commission.
The reports that CWI submitted as well as the Mid-Cycle Evaluation Report compiled by the peer evaluators can be found on CWI’s website cwi.edu/info/accreditation-process.
The following milestones represent steps CWI has completed and what will be completed in the coming years.
- January 2012 – The NWCCU granted CWI Candidacy for Accreditation status at the associate degree level.
- January 2013 - NWCCU Commissioners approved CWI’s Year One Self Evaluation Report
and recommended continuing Candidacy Status.
- October 2014 - CWI hosted a Site Visit in October 2014.
- Peer Evaluators were: Summer Kenesson (Bates Technical College) and Martin Heilstedt (Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom).
- The Peer Evaluator report to NWCCU has been submitted and is posted on cwi.edu/info/accreditation-process.
- Fall 2016 – CWI will submit Year Seven Self Evaluation Report to NWCCU and host a site visit.
- Spring 2017 – The NWCCU will decide Initial Accreditation and implementation of Seven Year Accreditation Cycle.
- Fall 2017 – CWI will submit a Year One Self Evaluation Report to the NWCCU and host a site visit.