WSCUC decided not to pursue continued recognition by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a voluntary non-profit organization of higher education institutions. Recognition by CHEA is independent of recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. This decision has no impact on WSCUC’s federal recognition as an accrediting agency and does not affect the accreditation or other status of WSCUC-accredited institutions. In recent years, two other historically regional accreditors, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE), also declined to seek continued recognition by CHEA.

WSCUC looks forward to working with organizations, including CHEA, to communicate the value and purpose of accreditation and to promote education quality worldwide.