Accreditation

Accreditation Status

West Valley College’s accreditation was reaffirmed in January 2022.


General Information

West Valley College’s accreditation was reaffirmed in July of 2020.

West Valley College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 10 Commercial Blvd., Suite 204, Novato, CA 94949, (415) 506-0234, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.

West Valley College maintains its accreditation by fulfilling criteria that are determined by the ACCJC. Throughout the continuous seven-year review cycle, the college conducts and publishes several review instruments, including an annual report, annual fiscal report, midterm report, comprehensive institutional self-study, and an evaluation review by a team of peers.

Additional information about accreditation, including the filing of complaints against member institutions, can be found at www.accjc.org

Comments may be submitted to ACCJC for review via email at accjc.org/forms/third-party-comments


ISER Report Cover
Institutional Self Effectiveness Report (ISER)

Note: The ISER report contains links to documents that may not be fully compatible with assistive technologies. If you require assistance accessing the document, please contact the West Valley College President's Office via email at wvc.presidents_officeFREEWEST_VALLEY

Membership

Accreditation Liaison Officers

Standards

Standard I: Mission, Academic Quality and Institutional Effectiveness, and Integrity

The institution demonstrates strong commitment to a mission that emphasizes student learning and student achievement. Using analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, the institution continuously and systematically evaluates, plans, implements, and improves the quality of its educational programs and services. The institution demonstrates integrity in all policies, actions, and communication. The administration, faculty, staff, and governing board members act honestly, ethically, and fairly in the performance of their duties.

Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Support Services

The institution offers instructional programs, library and learning support services, and student support services aligned with its mission. The institution’s programs are conducted at levels of quality and rigor appropriate for higher education. The institution assesses its educational quality through methods accepted in higher education, makes the results of its assessments available to the public, and uses the results to improve educational quality and institutional effectiveness. The institution defines and incorporates into all of its degree programs a substantial component of general education designed to ensure breadth of knowledge and to promote intellectual inquiry. The provisions of this standard are broadly applicable to all instructional programs and student and learning support services offered in the name of the institution.

Standard III: Resources

The institution effectively uses its human, physical, technology, and financial resources to achieve its mission and to improve academic quality and institutional effectiveness. Accredited colleges in multi-college systems may be organized so that responsibility for resources, allocation of resources, and planning rests with the district/system. In such cases, the district/system is responsible for meeting the Standards, and an evaluation of its performance is reflected in the accredited status of the institution(s).

Standard IV: Leadership and Governance

The institution recognizes and uses the contributions of leadership throughout the organization for promoting student success, sustaining academic quality, integrity, fiscal stability, and continuous improvement of the institution. Governance roles are defined in policy and are designed to facilitate decisions that support student learning programs and services and improve institutional effectiveness, while acknowledging the designated responsibilities of the governing board and the chief executive officer. Through established governance structures, processes, and practices, the governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students work together for the good of the institution. In multi-college districts or systems, the roles within the district/system are clearly delineated. The multi-college district or system has policies for allocation of resources to adequately support and sustain the colleges.

Task Time
Resume Accreditation and Institutional Effectiveness (AIE) meetings April 2023
AIE develops and approves the report preparation process & timeline and identifies a writing team that includes at least one member from each constituency (faculty, classified, management) April 2023
Present timeline to CC, AS, CS, ASWVC as information April – May 2023
Prepare rough draft of Midterm Report May – July 2023
Writing team solicits preliminary input from: SLAPEC Co-Chair | Academic Senate President | Classified Senate Executive Team | Chancellor July – August 2023
Work with Editor to edit and prepare the completed draft, including evidence linking September – October 2023
Review completed draft and agrees on the communication and feedback gathering strategy (via web form). October 2023
Completed draft presented for information (first meeting) and approval (second meeting)
  • Academic Senate (Nov. 14)
  • Classified Senate (Nov. 8, Dec. 13)
  • College Council (Nov. 9, Dec. 14)
  • Student Government (Nov. 7, Dec. 12)
  • Executive Leadership Team + Deans (review/feedback only, draft shared in 2nd week of November and feedback by due date below)
All feedback are due no later than 5:00 PM on Nov. 27
November – December 2023
Writing Team considers the feedback and completes final draft November 28 – December 10, 2023
Work with graphic design team to produce final version December 2023 – January 2024
Midterm Report presented to Board of Trustees with Mission College February 2024
Submit completed report to ACCJC March 14, 2024
Last Updated 6/13/24