Approval is the legal requirement of the State of California to open a university. It legally allows JP Catholic to recruit and admit students. The accreditation process begins around the time the university opens and can take between 4 to 6 years. The now-defunct State of California BPPVE approved and regulated approximately 3,000 schools serving an estimated 400,000 students. The bureau established educational standards to serve as the minimum standard for instructional quality and institutional stability for private postsecondary schools in California.

On October 25, 2005, JP Catholic received temporary approval to operate from the BPPVE. The approval process took about two years from preparation to completion.

Accreditation. JP Catholic is pursuing WASC accreditation. No academic institution in the United States is required to seek accreditation, however, because of the recognized benefits, most of the eligible institutions seek to become accredited. Voluntary, non-governmental, institutional accreditation is a unique characteristic of American education. WASC is a 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.

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.

Achieving Candidacy: JP Catholic has accepted WASC's invitation to move forward in its pursuit of accreditation. This initial eligibility is granted for a three year period through Spring 2010.

JP Catholic's WASC Review Schedule:

• Capacity and Preparatory Review (CPR): February 25-27, 2009
• Educational Effectiveness Review (EER): February 24-26, 2010
• WASC Commission meeting announcing outcome of Reviews: June 16 or 17, 2010

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