Recent Accreditation Cycle

The most recent evaluation by WSCUC took place from 2013-16 and was guided by the standards described in the WSCUC 2013 Handbook of Accreditation.  In its revised process, WSCUC focused on retention and completion, quality of learning, and the meaning of the degree as a whole.  During their off-site review and the on-site visit, the visiting team looked for evidence that the campus has defined learning outcomes for each degree program, has assessment methods that provide evidence of achievement, and that programs are using the results to ensure quality and improve student learning.

The evaluation by WSCUC began in 2013-14 and the campus submitted our Institutional Report on February 26, 2015.

As part of our preparation for re-accreditation, the campus supported departmental efforts to publish written educational learning outcomes and evaluation procedures for all academic programs.  Other UC campuses that have defined learning outcomes and linked them to assessment activities have reported positive benefits for program effectiveness.  For example, students who understand the explicit learning outcomes and their transparent connections to program features/goals are often more engaged and more successful in achieving those goals.

Detailed campus assessment-related information and a listing of resources are available on the campus’s assessment website.

After the review committee’s Report of the WSCUC’s Team for Reaffirmation of Accreditation was reviewed, WSCUC confirmed UCSC’s formal reaccreditation status in March 2016.

Previous Accreditation Cycle

The campus’s accreditation was previously reaffirmed in 2005 following a multi-year, self-study process that formally engaged the campus in institution-wide reflection on capacity and educational effectiveness.  At that time, the WSCUC Commission requested a progress report about campus actions and developments on several issues identified in the 2005 visit. The interim report was submitted to the Commission in 2010.