Any college or university that thrives for 150 years is doing something right.
And while William Woods University (WWU) has reached that milestone in 2020, resting on past accomplishments is not the William Woods way. Continuous improvement and a constant eye toward the future have been catalysts for the University’s ascendency through the years, which only comes with regular, strenuous review. A review that will come early next month when WWU will host the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which will perform its quadrennial rating of the University.
Like other educational institutions, WWU receives reviews by an accreditor on a regular basis to ensure that its programs, employees and overall operations are performing up to national higher education standards. The University is accredited by the Chicago-based HLC, one of six regional accreditors in the United States which oversees degree-granting post-secondary schools in Missouri and 18 other states. Every HLC institution is judged on five categories:
- Understanding the university’s mission
- Acting with integrity
- Providing a quality learning experience
- Evaluating and improving programs
- Developing resources, structures, and processes that serve the university’s needs, both now and in the future
William Woods was officially granted continued accreditation with no concerns in any of the five categories during the last HLC review and visit, in October 2016. After a three-year process of preparation that has included campus-wide meetings, committees appointed to collect information and a thorough analysis of the University’s strengths and weaknesses, this year’s HLC visit will take place on Monday, October 5.
As part of the review, HLC is welcoming comment about WWU from members of the general public. All comments should be directed to:
The Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604
“We are eager to welcome HLC back to campus during this watershed year of 2020, and confident that we will demonstrate continued progress as an institution,” said Dr. Jahnae H. Barnett, President of William Woods University.
