Jul 25, 2023

Dear campus community:

We are delighted to share that UCI’s academic accreditation has been successfully reaffirmed by the WASC Senior College & University Commission (WSCUC). WSCUC accreditation aids institutions in developing and sustaining effective educational programs and assures the educational community and the general public that an accredited institution has met rigorous standards of quality and effectiveness.

In reaffirming our accreditation for a full 10 years, the longest possible term, the commission noted seven areas for special commendation:

  • the growth and diversification of our student body;
  • our innovative recruitment strategies for graduate students;
  • the dedication of our faculty and staff to the students and institution;
  • our Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation;
  • our data-informed decision-making processes;
  • our self-study on student learning, well-being, and engagement during the pandemic; and
  • our graduate online degree programs.

The WSCUC review team also was impressed with our thorough and comprehensive self-study for accreditation and the seriousness with which we undertook this work. In its report, the team concluded:

UCI is, without doubt, a jewel in the crown of the UC system and one of the country’s premier public research universities... The team left feeling inspired and uplifted, viewing UCI as a model for where higher education needs to be headed to restore public confidence and make good on the promise of the transformative power of a college degree.

This positive outcome and praise from the commission and the review team are reflective of our shared commitment to serve and improve the lives of our students, faculty, staff and community. Each of you is a vital contributor to the success of our mission. While there is always room for improvement, we are grateful for your support of our vision to shine brighter.

We especially thank everyone who contributed to the self-study and participated in the site visit. You gave freely of your time, talent and expertise to make the accreditation process a success, and the results speak for themselves.

The commission’s review report and the review team’s report are available at https://www.wscuc.org/institutions/university-of-california-irvine/ and UCI’s self-study report will be available soon on our academic planning website. If you have questions regarding the WSCUC accreditation review, please email acadplan@uci.edu.

Fiat Lux.

Chancellor Howard Gillman

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Hal Stern