WASC Senior College and University Commission

Pitzer College submitted a self-study institutional report in July 2018 which addressed the previous recommendations of the commission, identified institutional strengths and vulnerabilities, as well as provided relevant updates. Since the submission, the College has embarked upon a strategic planning process and participated in planning discussions regarding the restructuring of the Keck Science Department as a two-way partnership with Scripps College, including a capital project. Below is a brief summary of the previous recommendations and the lines of inquiry that will frame the on-campus visit that will occur in March 2019.

Recommendations from June 2011 and March 2015 Commission Action Letters

  1. Assessment of student learning, including further expansion and refinement of student learning outcomes and systems for assessment.
  2. Program review, including examples of recently completed program reviews.
  3. Support for institutional research development and additional analyses of graduation and retention, disaggregated by subpopulation.
  4. Development and assessment of outcomes related to campus life.
  5. Changes in the plans and culture that assure the sustainability of educational effectiveness.

Lines of Inquiry for Campus Visit in March 2019

The team has identified the following lines of inquiry for the Accreditation Visit:

  1. How is Pitzer College using the strategic planning process to prepare for the changes in higher education environment including enrollments, financial stability and potential risks?
  2. Can you please tell us more about the institution’s governance and budget planning? What are the lessons learned from centralized vs. de-centralized decision-making process?
  3. Can you help us understand your key performance indicators? How are they decided and used?
  4. What are the plans for developing a sustainable culture of assessment including ensuring faculty buy-in for assessment and program review?
  5. Can you please provide updates on assessing educational objectives and core competences?
  6. What is Pitzer’s model for student success? What are the contributing factors to high retention, persistence and graduation rates? 
  7. How are special populations such as low-income students being recruited, retained and served?  
  8. What programs are particularly effective in retaining and graduating students? Does it differ by student background (e.g. gender, ethnicity, low income, etc.)?
  9. What approaches have you taken to examine post-graduation outcomes for students and alumni engagement?

Important Dates

  • July 5, 2018 – Pitzer College submitted the Self-Study Institutional Report to WSCUC
  • September 13, 2018 – WSCUC Off-Site Review conducted by videoconference to establish Lines of Inquiry
  • January 28, 2019 – Supplemental Information submitted to the Review Team following the Off-Site review
  • Monday, March 25, 2019 to Thursday, March 28, 2019 – WSCUC Review Team at Pitzer College  
  • June 27, 2019 – WSCUC Commission Meeting to act on Pitzer College’s Grant of Accreditation