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Occidental Accreditation History

 Occidental received its initial accreditation in 1949, marking a pivotal moment in WASC’s own history as ��«Ӱҵ was one of the first institutions accredited when WASC was established as an accrediting body. Leaders at Occidental have played central roles in WASC history since 1930, when ��«Ӱҵ’s 8th president, Remsen Bird, chaired the formation and approval of the constitution for the Association of Colleges and Universities in the Pacific Southwest. Special notice was also given to ��«Ӱҵ’s 9th president and Western College Association executive member Arthur G. Coons, “whose quick intelligence, clear expression, and public concern… furthered the values for which [Western College Association] stood” (Herrick, 1974). In 1949, the Western College Association was recognized as the sixth regional accrediting body in the United States – an achievement largely attributed to Arthur G. Coons for his “deep devotion to academic ideals” (Herrick, 1974). Today, Arthur G. Coons is memorialized as the namesake of the central administration building, commonly referred to as “the AGC.”

��«Ӱҵ’s most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was in 2022 for an eight-year period (2022 - 2030). A progress report was submitted in November 2023, and the college completed a Special Visit in March 2026. In all accreditation efforts, ��«Ӱҵ remains committed to open and honest communication with the Commission, to upholding the standards of quality and integrity, and to honoring the legacy of our past presidents who helped shape that tradition.

The following link provides verification of the college's accreditation status: