Occidental College recently completed the process of successful reaffirmation of accreditation with our institutional accrediting agency, WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) in 2022. 

Institutional accreditation in the United States is a voluntary and non-governmental process in which Occidental College participates as a public acknowledgment of the college's commitment to ongoing improvement in its educational effectiveness, especially with regard to student learning.

Occidental College was first accredited by WASC in 1949, and our most recent reaffirmation of accreditation took place in 2022 under WSCUC's Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) process. The College's TPR proposal: The Urban Liberal Arts Experience was approved by WSCUC in January 2020.

On July 11, 2022, the College received formal notification that upon consideration of the report of the review team that conducted the Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) Accreditation Visit to Oxy March 30 - April 1, 2022, review of the institutional report and exhibits submitted by Oxy prior to the Accreditation Visit, the institution’s June 13, 2022 response to the team report, and President Elam's meeting with the Commission on June 23, 2022, the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) has reaffirmed accreditation for a period of eight years. The next scheduled reaffirmation review and visit will take place in fall 2029 and spring 2030, respectively. The Commission Action Letter and Team Report are publicly available on the WSCUC site to read/download.

The Commission commended Oxy in particular for the following:

1. A dedicated faculty and staff that embrace and support the four cornerstones of Occidental’s mission: excellence, equity, community, and service.
2. The college’s Culture of Care philosophy that supports an individualized approach to student success and wellness.
3. The work of College leadership, faculty, and staff to envision an institution-wide structure for community-based engagement.
4. The building of meaningful and long-term reciprocal relationships with a wide array of community partners to effect community-based learning for students.

Updates on our current accreditation status can be found on the WSCUC Membership page.

Questions, suggestions, or feedback regarding accreditation can be sent at any time to our Accreditation Liaison Officer: Lex Sanderson.

Contact Accreditation & Institutional Assessment
AGC Administrative Center

1st Floor

For accreditation and assessment inquiries: asanderson@oxy.edu