CSU Bakersfield is nearing the end of its reaccreditation process and will host a reaccreditation team from the Western Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). WSCUC, more commonly referred to as WASC,utilizes peer review in order to asses that educational institutions continuously strive for improvement and are meeting the agreed upon standards to their students and the public.

“Our chief goals are to promote institutional engagement in issues of educational effectiveness and student learning, develop a culture of evidence that informs decision making, and foster active interchange among public and independent institutions”according to the WASC website.

CSUB was first accredited in 1970 and last received reaccreditation in February of 2012. It has been working toward renewing its accreditation since 2016. The multiyear process included the collection of over 550 documents, an extensive look at campus policies and initiatives,multiple open forums, and culminated in a 75-page institutional report submitted to WASC for review.

“This is all about continuous improvement, so we always want to strive to be better than we are. Not because we think we’re bad but because we’re always striving to be perfect right?And perfection is never attainable,” says Accreditation Liaison Officer Debra Jackson, PhD.

Jackson discussed how CSUB is always looking to improve as the student population continues to change and evolve. The accreditors look at how the campus operates and whether the campus is meeting its goals toward its students and community. The goal is not to do things for the accreditors, but to strive for campus success and the accreditation process ensures universities are held accountable.

“In the process of collecting all of those documents we also spent some time saying you know I thought this is who we are but these documents indicate this is who we are and how do we want to close the gap between those two things?” Jackson emphasized that while the process does influence change on campus it does so indirectly.

Initial feedback from WASC was received in May of this year and included seven commendations and six lines of inquiry which are the focus of the visit. The team will meet with 25 groups on campus and hold open sessions for students, faculty, and staff. The goal is to gather more information on the lines of inquiry which include assessment of undergraduate and graduate student learning, student success initiatives, general education, program review, faculty diversity, and strategic plan integration.

“They want to know, are students learning what they are hoping to learn, are they getting their needs met, are they achieving their goals and are they feeling supported here?” Jackson stated. “I think CSUB is helping me as a student. There are a lot of amenities to take advantage of, like the student rec center, bike share, and the edible garden,” says junior Logan King, a philosophy major. He also says he is open to attending an open forum to share his view on ways the campus can meet the needs of individuals.

Success during the reaccreditation process is weighed by the length of time that the team gives between cycles. The maximum accreditation time available is 10 years with CSUB having received eight years in its last cycle. The campus is hoping for a 10 year cycle this time around.

“That’s the culture that is really being built, all students, staff, and faculty you’re more than capable of creating things or impacting things and that is the message that we want to send out there” states ASI President Aaron Wan, who encourages all students to attend the upcoming open session and share their stories with the WASC team.

More information about the recommendations received and the lines of inquiry up for discussion during the WASC visit can be found at https://www.csub.edu/wscuc/index.html. The open session for students will be on Tuesday Oct. 8, from 2:30-3:15 in the Student Union Multipurpose Room. Students who are unable to attend the open session, but would like to share their thoughts with the team can send a confidential email to [email protected] their visit. The exit meeting will be on Thursday Oct. 10 in DLCD 402 where the WASC team will present their findings. The exit meeting is open to the entire campus.