A decade of excellence. Washburn will be undergoing a thorough evaluation regarding the overall education system on March 25.

The HLC, which stands for Higher Learning Commission, is a company that oversees a university’s growth and student success. Essentially, the Higher Learning Commission evaluates and then visits college campuses across the state of Kansas to evaluate and access the universities for accreditation. The process for the evaluation starts when Washburn, or the designated university, sends over an assurance argument which entails all of the records of the student, faculty and staff growth and decline, as well as other supporting and confidential charts throughout the ten year mile-mark. Within the course of 30 days, the Higher Learning Commission evaluates all of the records that Washburn, or the chosen campus, had submitted. The accreditation process continues when The Higher Learning Commission reserves a meeting that lasts a day and a half is conducted at the campus. The Higher Learning Commission will fill out forms and dig a little deeper to better oversee the evaluation of how others see the Washburn family.

Dr. Jerry Farley explained, “This is very important to the history of the university, we want that stamp of approval that were doing the right kinds of things in accordance to admissions and in accordance with the integrity and all of the things about the university that are important. We want people to know about that.”

According to credible faculty members of Washburn, the university is predicted to exceed the expectations for the Higher Learning Center evaluation on March 25 and 26 of 2019.

Tracie Lutz, who obtained a Masters in Education and Literacy at Washburn, now a professor at Washburn, stated with confidence, “We will meet, if not exceed, in many areas, when the HLC committee comes here.”

If a university fails the Higher Learning Commissions criteria, the university can lose credibility, which essentially costs the university their essential funding and may result in a university’s student success decline.

Washburn is a university that has a staff oriented around student success and happiness.

“I feel our high point is our service to our students. I feel like as a faculty, we think of the needs for our students first, we offer them resources from financial aid to opportunities for tutoring, student health services. We offer a great deal to our students, so they feel valued and supported. I was not here for the previous accreditation process, ten years ago, but from my personal perspective, from receiving my graduate studies and my degree from Washburn, everything has only improved and grown,” said Lutz.

According to the Kansas board of regent’s graduation percentage rate, the system wide graduation percentage for Kansas is in the 43 percentile.

“I see the HLC visit to solidify that we are a stellar institution that meets and exceeds the HLC expectations, and our assurance argument showcases and solidifies our competency as an institution. I am confident that we will meet and exceed HLC expectations,” Lutz said. “Overall, I feel Washburn University strives to foster well-rounded global citizens who will leave our institution with the ability to work successfully, interpersonally as well as academically. I think the time and effort has been put into the assurance argument that I think it’s going to be a seamless process.”