UC Riverside is cited as a national example of achieving excellence through diversity

Full report here:http://wasc.ucr.edu/

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- The Western Association of Schools and Colleges has cited UC Riverside as a national exemplar for achieving excellence through diversity of people, ideas, and programs. WASC also commended UCR for how student affairs and academic affairs work together.

The kudos came during a process of successfully accrediting UCR for another 10 years of operation.

“The campus can be very proud of this positive review and of the commendations by WASC,” said Chancellor Timothy P. White. “I was especially pleased that the Commission’s letter recognized both our strong focus on student learning and success and that ‘UCR lives its stated commitment to diversity.’”

This the sixth time since its founding in 1954 that UCR has earned accreditation from WASC, which measures success of the public schools and universities in the western portion of the United States.

The current cycle of site visits and self-study reports began in 2005, when the campus submitted a proposal that identified three themes for study:
• Learning within a campus culture of diversity
• Growing/improving graduate and professional programs
• Improving undergraduate student engagement, experience, and learning.

The WASC report also identified areas that need more improvement, including completing the strategic plan for the campus; conducting the assessment of student learning in the undergraduate majors and making changes in curricula where appropriate; and focused growth and assessment of graduate and professional programs.

"We should be very proud of the glowing comments made in the Commission Report about UCR's overall effectiveness in achieving its educational mission," said David Fairris, vice provost for undergraduate education and one of many people who worked hard to develop and report ways to measure student outcomes.