In August, we reported that two Seventh-day Adventist universities in North America, Walla Walla University and Washington Adventist University, lost accreditation for their nursing programs. At that time Walla Walla University, with about 190 nursing majors, had its national nursing accreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) denied, effective July 23, because the program did not have enough fully-credentialed full- and part-time faculty.
After appealing the denial, ACEN has extended Walla Walla's accreditation with a warning. Walla Walla University announced the extension with a press release on the university's website:
The Walla Walla University School of Nursing accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) has been extended. This decision comes following a WWU appeal to an ACEN decision in July 2014 to deny continuing accreditation of the program.
"Based on our appeal, our accreditation status has been changed from 'denied' to 'continued accreditation with warning,'" says Lucille Krull, dean of the School of Nursing.
The ACEN did not fault School of Nursing curriculum, quality, or outcomes. The initial denial of continued accreditation was issued when the university failed to meet one standard for graduate degree credentialing of School of Nursing instructors. That standard is that all WWU School of Nursing faculty members must possess a master's degree.
"As of January 2015, 100 percent of our nursing faculty will have a master's degree in nursing," says Krull.
An ACEN site visit is scheduled for February 2015. The site visit will include a full self-study and will allow the ACEN to verify that the university is in compliance with all accreditation requirements.
"Graduates from the Walla Walla University School of Nursing consistently outperform the national pass rates on their National Council Licensure Examinations," says Bob Cushman, vice president for academic administration. "The university will continue its focus on academic quality."
Washington Adventist University has not yet had its nursing program accreditation reinstated or extended.