By Zainab Ummie Sillah
Evergreen is currently meeting with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities to renew its accreditation for another seven years.
President, George Bridges and other staff will meet with the commission to receive a formal document granting the college continued accreditation in January. Shortly after this, college staff members will develop a plan for the upcoming accreditation cycle.
The college website states, An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.”
From Nov. 5-7, the Northwest Commission held evaluations with students, faculty, and nonsupervisory staff. The commission visits the college every other year for a peer review on what has worked and what has not. Core themes that were reviewed include integrated interdisciplinary learning, the individual engaged in community, environmental stewardship and social justice, and diversity and equity.
The college community was encouraged to provide feedback on their campus experience, and the commission uses this information to write a formal report that the college uses to determine a new plan for the upcoming year.
Students can rest assured that the visit is an “anticipated cyclic cycle,” according to Julie Slone, Executive Associate to the Provost. In layman’s terms, accreditation, like a fire drill, has a plan executed within a set schedule. This process will not have an effect on the validity of a student’s degree.
According to Dr. Jennifer Drake, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, accreditation is a method of self-reflection: “Are we fulfilling our promises to students?”
The newly implemented seven year cycle requires that Evergreen examine its mission statement, goals, annual operations and achievements through an iterative self-study. Year one of the accreditation cycle requires the college to restate or reaffirm its mission statement, define year-long goals, and reconfigure its operations.
Evergreen determines its goals in the first year of the cycle. The implementation and effectiveness of these goals are revisited every eighteen months. During the third year, the Northwest Commission governs another peer review and drafts an interim report. This is an opportunity for Evergreen to note its progress and reconfigure its seven year plan. In the seventh year, the school drafts a formal report of their achievements and findings in the format of a report card. In 2013, for example, Evergreen decided to improve in integrative, interdisciplinary studies, maintain multiple modes of thinking, and improve breadth and depth of learning.
When assessed in 2018, the college mostly achieved two out of the three, achieving in breadth and depth of learning. More information on how scores were determined will be available on the Evergreen website once the formal report is released.
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, a congregation of staff from neighboring Northwest institutions, were enthusiastic to review the college. “The fabric of the institution is a national model for upholding interdisciplinary studies,” said Drake.
“Evergreen professors are not covering the same material on the same day every year. They’re given the opportunity to say what in today’s society is worth investigating, and to teach the things that are going to help students in today’s world,” said student Grant Walker.
Accreditation obtained from the commission “provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.” The Northwest Commission has been accrediting Evergreen since 1974, and in addition to accrediting the main campus over the years, the commission has accredited Tacoma programs, Native Pathways, and masters programs.
