The 12-person evaluation team from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities concluded its three-day stay on campus at the University of Nevada, Reno with praise.

"The candor which you've worked with us has really set the standard," said Stephen Reno, chancellor for the University System of New Hampshire and chairman of the NWCCU evaluation team.

The NWCCU site visit team arrived on campus on Monday and completed its stay on Wednesday, Oct. 3. It had spent its time in public meetings with University faculty, staff and students, and in private informational meetings with campus administration and others involved with the University's self-study process.

Reno noted the next steps in the University's accreditation will include an evaluation committee report with commendations and recommendations that will be sent in the coming weeks for President Milton Glick's review for errors of fact.

Once reviewed, the report will then be revised and sent forward to the NWCCU. The site visit team will also forward a confidential recommendation specific to the University's accreditation status. On Jan. 10, the commission will meet, deliberate and then send a letter at the end of January with news on the University's accreditation.

Reno praised the effort of the University's self-study committee, chaired by Eric Herzik, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science, which has worked over the past 18 months to compile a comprehensive look at the institution's progress in meeting accreditation standards set by the NWCCU.

"This visit in many ways affirmed the good work we have been doing at the University," Glick said, adding that he also was thankful to Herzik and the dozens of University faculty and staff that comprised the self-study's committee and sub-committees.

NWCCU covers a seven-state area and each NWCCU member undergoes the accreditation process every 10 years with at least one reaccreditation visit during that time. The University's last accreditation was in 1997. Accreditation qualifies the University for access to federal funds to support teaching, research and student financial aid, and it also provides an indicator of quality. It applies to the University as a whole, rather than focusing on particular colleges or departments.