Accreditation
We're proud to be in good standing with our accreditation. That means we’re acting in the best interest of our students, our faculty and staff, and our community.
About Our Accreditation
Accreditation is a voluntary process of external review that evaluates programs, colleges, and universities to ensure that they provide high-quality education and services and continuously seek to improve. This process provides assurance to the public that Western Nebraska Community College meets, and will continue to meet, clearly communicated criteria and regulations. Accreditation also ensures that faculty and students are eligible for federal grants and other funding.
Western Nebraska Community College is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a regional accrediting organization. WNCC receives reaffirmation of accreditation on a 10-year cycle, and most recently received notice of reaffirmation in 2020. WNCC will next host a comprehensive evaluation and site visit in 2029-2030.
The Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604
www.hlcommission.org
800.621.7440
inquiry@hlcommission.org
Open Pathway
To maintain accreditation, WNCC participates in the Open Pathway. This pathway is available to institutions that have been accredited for more than 10 years and are in good standing. It requires that the institution meet five criteria through an assurance review and must complete a Quality Initiative with the HLC, which affords WNCC the opportunity to pursue continuous improvement in a focused area of need and aspiration. In addition, WNCC must demonstrate compliance with mandated federal guidelines.
Program Accreditation
In addition to institutional accreditation, several programs at WNCC are separately accredited by state or professional agencies. The table below lists the accreditation status of these programs. Please contact the program’s office for more details.
|
Program |
Accrediting/Approving Agency |
Current Status |
Program Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) | Continual |
Scottsbluff
Sidney
Alliance
|
|
| Aviation |
Federal Aviation Administration – Maintenance Schools |
Approved (2004) | Sidney |
| EMT/EMR | Approved | Scottsbluff | |
| Health Information Management | Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) | Accredited (2003) | Online |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) | Accredited (2020) | Scottsbluff |
| Phlebotomy | National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) | Accredited (2013) | Scottsbluff |
| Practical Nursing Program |
Accredited (1974) |
Scottsbluff
Sidney Alliance
|
|
| Surgical Technology | Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs | Accredited (2017) | Scottsbluff |
Course Specific or Facility Certifications
|
Program |
Accrediting/Approving Agency |
Current Status |
Program Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Aid (Basic Nursing Assistant BNA) | Approved | Multiple sites in western Nebraska | |
| Medication Aide |
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services No web site available; please contact (402) 471-3121 for questions |
Approved | Multiple sites in western Nebraska |
| Welding (Testing Facility) | Accredited (2014) | Scottsbluff |
NC-SARA
WNCC is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
(NC-SARA). SARA is an agreement among members states, districts, and territories that
establishes comparable national standards for interstate offerings of postsecondary
distance education. SARA’s policies help protect students as they engage in distance
education across state lines. As of April 2020, 49 states, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are members of SARA. Over 2,100 colleges
and universities participate in SARA. For more information, go to
https://nc-sara.org/.
WNCC Accreditation Contact
Kimberly Reichert
Accreditation & Special Projects Director
308.635.6103
reicherk@wncc.edu