Accreditation Overhaul Concerns Raised by WASC Leader

The U.S. Department of Education's sweeping rewrite of accreditation regulations faces a key deadline this week, drawing concern from a major accrediting body. Maria Toyoda, president and CEO of the WASC Senior College and University Commission, discussed the plans on Inside Higher Ed's Key podcast.

Toyoda shared her perspective as the public comment period closes on September 21. The proposed regulations also include new requirements for accreditors to ensure institutions ease student credit transfer and are held more accountable for student outcomes.

Concerns Over Independence and Role

While committed to implementing new policies, Toyoda expressed discomfort with a potential shift in the accreditor's relationship with colleges. We are less comfortable with entering into a new kind of relationship where we’re saying to the institutions, ‘Well, we’re also going to tell you how [to meet the standards],' she said. She emphasized that dictating methods is not part of WASC's traditional role as an evaluator against standards.

"No one should feel bad for accreditors," Toyoda stated. "If we have to implement new policies and guidance in order to do … reviews and evaluations, we’ll do that. It’s our job." Her primary concern lies with preserving the independent judgment central to the accreditation process.

Implementation Holds the Key

Despite the scale of the proposed rewrite, Toyoda argued the real impact will be determined by implementation details from the Department of Education. She pointed to the often-unseen administrative layer beneath formal rules. In any regulatory area, there are so many ways in which you promulgate and implement regulation that there are so many opportunities in different places that people can look to influence the way a certain rule is administered, she explained.

This includes templates, forms, handbooks, and manuals that shape how regulations are applied in practice. The final rules are expected to be finalized by November 1.

Preparing for Change and Future Debates

WASC is actively preparing for the anticipated overhaul. Toyoda revealed the commission is working through a 38-page change document. Committees are focused on policy changes to ensure readiness when new rules take effect.

Toyoda does not expect the debate to end with this rulemaking cycle. She anticipates the administration will announce another round of negotiated rulemaking soon, suggesting the accreditation overhaul is an ongoing process. The conversation, hosted by Inside Higher Ed editor in chief Sara Custer, shows the significant uncertainty facing higher education's gatekeeping system.