UW-La Crosse NCA Accreditation graphic

NCA Accreditation Process

UW-L is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a branch the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. The Higher Learning Commission is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Association was founded in 1895 as a membership organization for educational institutions. It is one of six regional institutional accrediting associations in the United States. Through its Commissions it accredits, and thereby grants membership to educational institutions in the nineteen-state North Central region. Wisconsin is one of those states. The NCA employs the five-step comprehensive process described below to determine continued accreditation status for institutions every ten years.

  1. The organization engages in a self-study process for approximately two years and prepares a report of its findings in accordance with Commission expectations.
  2. The Commission sends an evaluation team of Consultant- Evaluators to conduct a comprehensive visit for continued accreditation and to write a report containing the team’s recommendations.
  3. The documents relating to the comprehensive visit are reviewed by a Readers Panel or, in some situations, a Review Committee.
  4. The NCA's Institutional Actions Council (IAC) takes action on the Readers Panel’s recommendation. (If a Review Committee reviewed the visit, the Review Committee takes action.)
  5. The Board of Trustees validates the work of IAC or a Review Committee, finalizing the action.

UW-L was last reaccredited in 1996. The University is currently conducting a self-study and anticipates hosting a NCA evaluation team in Spring 2006. Please visit the NCA Accreditation Timeline for details about UW-L's self-study process. The Frequently Asked Questions page will answer basic questions about NCA and the accreditation process and the questions and comments page will allow you address your questions or comments to the self-study steering committee. Answers and replies to comments will be posted on a regular basis.
 
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