04/01/2025

Dear Campus Community,

I am writing to let you know that Puget Sound will host a team from our regional accreditor, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) on campus from April 23-25, as part of our seven-year accreditation review process that affirms our overall institutional effectiveness. The five-member team visiting our campus is composed of leaders from other universities and institutions of higher education in our region.

During the site visit, the NWCCU evaluation team will meet with a variety of campus offices and groups to learn more about Puget Sound. I hope you will mark your calendars for one of three open sessions where faculty, staff, and students can interact with the evaluation team. The open sessions are:

  • Faculty Open Session: Wednesday, April 23, 1–1:50 p.m., Trimble Forum
  • Student Open Session: Wednesday, April 23, 3–3:50 p.m., Trimble Forum
  • Staff Open Session: Thursday, April 24, 10–10:50 a.m., Wheelock Student Center, Rasmussen Rotunda

Accreditation functions as an important step in maintaining university credentials, degree validity, and mission fulfillment. Accreditation is required by the Higher Education Act to receive federal funding including financial aid and federal grants. In addition, it encourages institutional improvement through continuous self-reflection and evaluation.

In preparation for the site visit, the Accreditation Review Committee completed the Year Seven Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness (EIE) report. As an NWCCU Commissioner, I regularly review such reports from other colleges and universities, and I believe our report provides thoughtful and comprehensive information regarding all the outstanding work we do at Puget Sound to support the success of our students, faculty, and staff, and provide an outstanding and well-rounded educational experience. I am deeply proud of the work we all do here, and I encourage you to read the report to learn more about our commitment to institutional excellence.

I would like to extend my thanks to the many staff, students, and faculty who contributed to our recent reports in our seven-year accreditation cycle, including our Year Six Policies, Regulations, and Financial Review and our culminating EIE report. I am deeply grateful to Amy Spivey, Dean of Faculty and Professor of Physics, and Kevin Riordan, Director of Institutional Research (as well as Ellen Peters, former Associate Provost for Institutional Research, Planning, and Student Success and Miriam Chitiga, former Interim Accreditation Liaison Officer) for so ably shepherding the work of the Accreditation Review Committee over the past two years. I am equally grateful to our campus colleagues who devoted significant time and the benefit of their expertise while serving on the committee:

  • Amy Gauthier ’98, Director of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices and Interim Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer
  • Archie Kerr ’27, student representative
  • Derek Buescher, Professor and Chair, Communication Studies and Director of Forensics
  • Janet Hallman ‘84, Associate Vice President for Financial Planning & Analysis
  • Joanna Carey Cleveland, Vice President and General Counsel, Chief of Staff, and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
  • Jonny Eberle, Copywriter
  • Julie Christoph, Professor of English and Director of the Center for Writing & Learning
  • Leslie Saucedo, retired Professor of Biology
  • Maggie Mittuch ’82, retired Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services
  • Michael Walker, former student representative
  • Tiffany McBain, Professor and Chair, English

If you have any further questions about the accreditation process, please visit the university’s accreditation website or contact Dr. Spivey at aspivey@pugetsound.edu or Dr. Riordan at kriordan@pugetsound.edu.

I look forward to an outpouring of Logger hospitality and strong and constructive engagement with the NWCCU peer evaluation team while they are on campus. Thank you for being an important part of our campus community.

Sincerely,

Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President