Wichita Area Technical College (WATC) received candidacy status with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA) of College and Schools in 2006. HLC-NCA is one of six regional institutional accrediting associations in the United States. It is committed to developing and maintaining high standards of excellence. HLC-NCA grants membership to educational institutions throughout the 19-state north-central region.
Recognizing that WATC is scheduled for another comprehensive evaluation in summer 2008, the college formed a steering committee that began meeting in fall 2006. The steering committee reviewed the 2006 team report, the WATC self-study report, and the Handbook of Accreditation to begin identifying specific recommendations and/or concerns that will need to be addressed in the 2008 self-study. Representatives from the steering committee were assigned as co-chairs for the five criteria, and they began formulating an outline as a starting point for their criterion narratives. Additionally, five members attended an HLC-NCA Self-Study Workshop in February and brought back some ideas that will be helpful as we begin our next self-study.
Conducting the 2008 self-study will require gathering information and evidence relevant to the HLC-NCA Accreditation Criteria. The process will require broad participation on the part of as many WATC constituents (faculty, staff, students, business and industry partners) as possible as we conduct an objective analysis of the institution’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. One important result will be a report that is sent to a group of HLC-NCA peer reviewers to help them prepare for an on-site visit. However, just as important, WATC views this accreditation self-study as an opportunity to advance a culture that emphasizes and fosters the success of all students, both during and after college.
The acquisition and transition of Cowley College’s programs, facilities, and staff prompted WATC administration to postpone the March HLC-NCA accreditation visit until late summer. In our discussions with HLC-NCA representatives, indications led us to believe that a return site visit, following the completion of the Cowley transition, would be in order. Realizing this will be an additional and unnecessary expense to the college, WATC administration agreed to postpone the official site visit so that only one accreditation visit will be necessary.
This delayed visit will not change the timing of when HLC-NCA acts on the team's recommendation regarding WATC's accreditation status. The HLC-NCA accreditation team will still be able to make its recommendation to the HLC-NCA Board this fall — at the same board meeting as originally planned.
The entire college, the committees, and our accreditation leader, Shirley Antes, have been working hard to be ready for the March visit. While the official site visit is postponed, this work is still applicable. We will have an immediate opportunity to use the efforts of the accreditation committees as we host Dr. Mary Vanis, WATC’s HLC-NCA team chair, on March 10–11. This visit provides us the opportunity to present our transition teams’ pre-work while also gathering important feedback from Dr. Vanis for the summer visit.
Shirley will be in touch with the accreditation committees regarding the March visit. We know WATC faculty and staff will rise to the challenge of the March visit and the summer accreditation visit. We are well on our way. Thank you for all your hard work on this important foundation for the future of WATC.
