Dear UC Merced Campus Community:
We are thrilled to share with you the news that UC Merced has earned initial accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This is excellent news for our campus as it marks a significant milestone in our ongoing development.
The WASC commission has granted UC Merced an initial accreditation of seven years — the maximum time frame allowed. We also are pleased to note that the process was successfully accomplished in the shortest amount of time possible under WASC's Standards of Accreditation. This is a testament to our campus’ overall efficiency in getting this crucial task completed.
In its notification letter to the campus, the WASC commission lauded UC Merced's efforts to "diligently balance its commitment to becoming a first-rate research institution with its commitment to serve students and the region." The commission also expressed its appreciation for the extensive work our campus undertook in preparing for and supporting our accreditation review.
As you may know, the road to accreditation was an extensive, six-year process that required multiple site visits to campus and the submission of key, comprehensive reports, including a Capacity and Preparatory Review (CPR) and an Educational Effectiveness Review (EER). The commission specifically highlighted our campus' strong relationship with the UC Office of the President (UCOP) and the financial support UCOP has offered our campus to fund enrollment growth through 2013. We are grateful to President Mark G. Yudof and the Regents for their unwavering support of UC Merced.
This is a proud moment in our campus' history, and we could not have accomplished this without you. We thank you all for your steadfast dedication. This was truly a campus-wide endeavor that required a lot of hard work by many individuals. The faculty, staff and students involved went above and beyond the call of duty on numerous occasions, and we greatly appreciate all of your efforts and commitment.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Leland
Chancellor
Keith E. Alley
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
