Accreditation and Approval
Approval is the legal requirement of the State of California to open and operate a university. It legally allows the University to recruit, admit, and award degrees to students. The accreditation process begins around the time the university opens and takes around 6 years to achieve.
Beginning January 1, 2010, private postsecondary schools operating in California are under the jurisdiction of the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) within the Department of Consumer Affairs. JP Catholic received temporary approval to operate from the State of California's now-defunct Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE) on October 25, 2005. The approval process took about two years from preparation to completion.
JP Catholic University is listed as a BPPE 'approved' institution
Accreditation. Because of the recognized benefits of accreditation, JP Catholic is pursuing accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) - the regional accrediting agency that accredits public and private schools, colleges and universities in California and the West. WASC has formal procedures by which institutions can move through the required stages that lead to accreditation. The WASC accreditation process aids institutions in developing and sustaining effective educational programs and assures the educational community, the general public, and other organizations that an accredited institution has met high standards of quality and effectiveness.
All institutions seeking accreditation by WASC must first go through a screening process that determines that the institution
is eligible to be considered for accreditation.
Eligibility: JP Catholic, on January 30th, 2007, applied for Eligibility from the Senior College Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. WASC has reviewed the application and
has determined that JP Catholic is eligible to proceed with an application for Candidacy for
Accreditation. A determination of Eligibility is not a formal status with the Accrediting
Commission, nor does it assure eventual accreditation; it is a preliminary finding that the
institution is potentially accreditable and can proceed within three years of its Eligibility
determination to be reviewed for Candidacy status with the Accrediting Commission. Questions
about Eligibility may be directed to JP Catholic or to WASC at wascsr@wascsenior.org or
510.748.9001.
Candidacy: JP Catholic, on March 7th, 2011 was awarded Candidacy by WASC - the first formal step towards initial accreditation. Read the full report here.
Current JP Catholic University WASC Accreditation Status: Candidate
John Paul the Great Catholic University has been recognized as a Candidate for Accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), 985 Atlantic Avenue, #100, Alameda, CA 94501, (501)748.9001. This status is a preliminary affiliation with the Commission awarded for a maximum period of four years. Candidacy is an indication that the institution is progressing toward Accreditation. Candidacy is not Accreditation and does not ensure eventual Accreditation.
JP Catholic's WASC Review Schedule:
- Capacity and Preparatory Review (CPR): Fall 2012
- Educational Effectiveness Review (EER): Spring 2014.