LEWISBURG – The Higher Learning Commission renewed the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s accreditation last week.
WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., believes this is significant for the institution.
“This is a huge deal. “This is the result of many years of work by many people,” Nemitz said. “Accreditation is important and to re-accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which is the largest, the oldest, and some people say the best accreditor in the world, is significant.”
Nemitz claims that this is about how the institution comes through for the student.
“They are not only interested in how well we are doing with our osteopathic program. It is all about quality. It is all about providing a quality experience for the student and ensuring that they find work.” Nemitz said.
The HLC granted WVSOM reaccreditation with no concerns, implying that the school did not need to improve in any specific area. According to the HLC, the school’s high performance will allow it to choose a “open pathway” for the next accreditation cycle.
“It is a huge stamp of approval because the HLC has high standards. There are five criteria, and you must meet a variety of standards. We met them all with no worries,” Nemitz said.
Throughout the accreditation process, the HLC reviewed a variety of areas. The evaluation included a review of the school’s arguments and evidence demonstrating compliance with the commission’s criteria, a student opinion survey, and an on-site visit.
According to Nemitz, the on-site visit provided evaluators with a firsthand look at the school’s practices.
“They set a date and conducted a site visit to determine whether you are truly walking the talk. Are you truly doing what you say you are doing? How do the students feel about their school?
How do the faculty feel about the school?” Nemitz said. “They send a five-person team to look at everything, including the student experience, how you treat your faculty, and whether you have shared governance. All of that has been considered.”
Nemitz also believes that reaccreditation will help the WVSOM attract new students and faculty.
“The whole reason why we went down this path is because what it enables us to add new programs,” Nemitz disclosed. “Any new programs you start must be accredited by an institutional accreditor, such as the Higher Learning Commission. That is exactly what this is about. It is about developing new programs.
This year marked the first time the WVSOM offered a graduate program. The WVSOM also offers dual degree programs, such as an MBA through the University of Charleston and an MPH through Marshall University.
“There is lots of opportunities and it is all about providing students with skills to serve West Virginia,” Nemitz told the crowd.
Nemitz praises his entire staff for their efforts throughout the process. Dr. Mary Norris was the school’s director of accreditation.
