The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) announced the appointment of Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn as one of the organization’s new commissioners.
Junn’s appointment began July 1 and will continue through June 30, 2024, with the possibility of serving another three-year term. The WSCUC 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.
“WSCUC is pleased to welcome President Junn to the Commission,” said WSCUC President Jamienne S. Studley. “Her commitments to education quality, equity and student success, and her experience across multiple institutions, will contribute to the Commission’s work to achieve excellence and equity through improvement and accountability.”
WSCUC commissioners dedicate numerous hours to conducting site visits, examining programming and outcomes and making recommendations to help strengthen institutions.
Junn, who will serve on the commission’s Finance and Operations Committee, brings more than three decades of multi-faceted experience in higher education to her role as commissioner and is very acutely familiar with the accreditation processes.
She led Stanislaus State when the University received reaffirmation in 2019. Additionally, during her tenure as Fresno State’s associate provost, she served as accreditation liaison officer when that campus secured WASC accreditation approval for a variety of new graduate, doctoral, international and online degree programs. She has also served as a member of a WSCUC Visiting Team for another institution in the past. Junn’s prior experience gives her insight into the process and knowledge to provide effectual feedback.
“I believe that accreditation is a critical process toward having a strong focus on student and faculty success,” Junn said. “It also addresses institutional health, such as budget, faculty strengths and shared governance, program quality, evidence of equitable student learning outcomes, and showcases the range of campus support systems all designed to support student learning. Accreditation is the ultimate barometer of quality and making visible how to track and measure student success.”
Junn’s background as an empirical scientist and her commitment to using relevant data and information to make informed decisions are traits she believes will help her as a commissioner.
WSCUC’s chief goals are to: promote institutional engagement in issues of educational effectiveness and student learning; develop a culture of evidence that informs decision making; and foster active interchange among public and independent institutions.
