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NIC retains accreditation, show-cause status

“NWCCU (Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities) recognizes the good work of the faculty, staff, and administrators throughout this process, but we are approaching the end of the three-year time period for the deficiencies that led to the initial Sanction of Warning to be corrected,” according to the Plan document approved and sent by the NWCCU Board of Commissioners.

Instead of the previously scheduled April 2024 special visit and Fall visit from NWCCU to NIC, there will be a single Show Cause visit in October 2024.

In its Plan, the commission states that “By reframing the non-compliant Recommendations, we provide greater clarity and specific guidance to focus the institution’s work, making it clear that the Board of Trustees MUST take explicit action to resolve these non-compliant Recommendations.”

The plan requires that NIC develop “Teach-Out Agreements” with other institutions for all its academic programs, which must be submitted to NWCCU for approval by Aug. 31, 2024. The Teach-Out Agreements add details to the Teach-Out Plans that NIC was required to create in 2023, ensuring all credits will transfer to other higher education institutions.

Other recommendations to achieve goals established in the plan include documenting Board of Trustees’ participation in training, providing evidence that the board is following its policies, and documenting successes from the board working with the president to accomplish board and institutional goals, among others.

“By rescheduling, we give the institution and its Board of Trustees, in particular, sufficient time to make progress on these Recommendations, instead of having to continually submit reports and wait for responses from the NWCCU,” according to the Plan.

The full letter, Plan of action, and accreditation key points can be found at www.nic.edu/keypoints/