Statement of Accreditation Status
as of December 6, 2021
Please note: HLC is upgrading its database, and recent changes to the institution's schedule of upcoming reviews, history with HLC, or its general institutional information may not be reflected below. The institution's listed accreditation status is correct and up to date.
HLC is working to restore access to the most recent institutional information as soon as possible. It should be available by June 2022. HLC member institutions that need documentation of their accreditation records can download their Institutional Status and Requirements Report in Canopy or request an official letter from HLC.
Western Technical College
400 Seventh Street North
PO Box C-0908
La Crosse, WI 54602-0908
(608) 785-9210
www.westerntc.edu
*Previous names: Western Wisconsin Technical Institute to Western Wisconsin Technical College (8/19/87) to Western Technical College (3/29/06)
The information on this page describes the accreditation relationship between this institution and the Higher Learning Commission. General information about the Commission and the accreditation process is provided at the end of this document. In addition, links to definitions are provided for many of the terms used.
Accreditation Information
Current status: Accredited
• Action Letter - Reaffirmation of Accreditation
| Candidacy date(s): | 04/08/1970 - 03/21/1972 |
| Accreditation granted: | 03/22/1972 |
Most recent reaffirmation of accreditation: 2014 - 2015
Next reaffirmation of accreditation: 2023 - 2024
Upcoming or In-Progress Reviews
| Date | Event | Description |
| 05/20/2024: | Comprehensive Evaluation | |
Most Recent History With HLC
| Date | Event | Description |
| 03/09/2015: | Quality Checkup | Continue Accreditation |
| 02/28/2008: | Reaffirmation of Accreditation | |
General Institutional Information
This section provides brief, general information about the institution’s organization and scope as self-reported by the institution through its annual Institutional Update to HLC.
All institutions are required to represent themselves accurately and consistently to multiple agencies. However, some information about institutions may appear differently among agencies depending on the timing of the institution's updates to those agencies or those agencies' definitions or standards. Such agencies should be consulted directly for further information.
For example, an institution's "Control" (or "Type") may be categorized differently by the U.S. Department of Education for other purposes under its standards. Additional information can be found at nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.
Control: Public
Degree programs (number in each category): Associates (44)
Certificate programs (number offered): 53
Off-Campus Activities (This listing was last updated: 10/12/2021; the information may not be current.) The institution’s accreditation includes courses and programs at:
| In-State: | Campuses: | None.
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| Additional Locations: | Arcadia High School - Arcadia, WI; Arcadia Fire Department - Arcadia, WI; Arcadia Ambulance Services - Arcadia, WI; Bangor Emergency Medical Services - Bangor, WI; Western Technical College Black River Falls - Black River Falls, WI; Jackson Correctional Institute - Black River Falls, WI; Gross Motors - Black River Falls, WI; Black River Falls High School - Black River Falls, WI; Black River Falls Ambulance Services - Black River Falls, WI; Ho Chunk Nation Emergency Medical Services - Black River Falls, WI; Blair Fire Department - Blair, WI; Camp Douglas Fire Department - Camp Douglas, WI; Cashton Emergency Medical Services - Cashton, WI; Scenic Valley Emergency Medical Service - Cochrane, WI; Coon Valley Emergency Medical Services - Coon Valley, WI; De Soto Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - De Soto, WI; Wheatland Emergency Medical Services - De Soto, WI; Royall High School - Elroy, WI; Elroy Area Fire Ambulance Association - Elroy, WI; Ettrick Fire Department - Ettrick, WI; Ferryville Emergency Medical Services - Ferryville, WI; Fountain City Emergency Medical Services - Fountain City, WI; Galesville Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Galesville, WI; Geona Emergency Medical Services - Genoa, WI; Hillsboro Area Ambulance Service - Hillsboro, WI; Hixton Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Hixton, WI; Holmen Emergency Medical Services - Holmen, WI; Independence Regional Learning Center - Independence, WI; Automotive/Diesel Technology Center - La Crosse, WI; Apprenticeship and Industry Training Center - La Crosse, WI; Health Science Center - La Crosse, WI; La Crosse County Jail - La Crosse, WI; Shelby Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - La Crosse, WI; La Crosse Fire Department - La Crosse, WI; La Crosse Regional Airport - La Crosse, WI; La Farge Area Ambulance - La Farge, WI; Lyndon Station Emergency Medical Services - Lyndon Station, WI; Mauston Regional Learning Center - Mauston, WI; Mauston High School - Mauston, WI; Melrose-Mindoro High School - Melrose, WI; Farmington Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Mindoro, WI; New Lisbon Correctional Institution - New Lisbon, WI; New Lisbon Emergency Medical Services - New Lisbon, WI; Oakdale Emergency Medical Services - Oakdale, WI; Onalaska Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Onalaska, WI; Brice Prairie Emergency Medical Services - Onalaska, WI; Brookwood High School - Ontario, WI; Ontario Fire Department - Ontario, WI; Pigeon Falls Emergency Medical Services - Pigeon Falls, WI; Sparta Public Safety Training Facility - Sparta, WI; Sparta High School - Sparta, WI; Fort McCoy - Sparta, WI; Morrow Home Community - Sparta, WI; Sparta Fire Department - Sparta, WI; Cataract Emergency Medical Services - Sparta, WI; Stoddard Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Stoddard, WI; Taylor Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Taylor, WI; Tomah Regional Learning Center - Tomah, WI; Robert Kupper Learning Center - Tomah, WI; Tomah Fire Department - Tomah, WI; Tomah Area Ambulance Service - Tomah, WI; Trempealeau Emergency Medical Services - Trempealeau , WI; Viroqua Regional Learning Center - Viroqua, WI; Sleepy Hallow - Viroqua, WI; Viroqua Fire Department - Viroqua, WI; Warrens Emergency Medical Services - Warrens, WI; Waumandee Emergency Medical Services - Waumandee, WI; West Salem Fire Department - West Salem, WI; West Salem Emergency Medical Services - West Salem, WI; Westby Emergency Medical Services - Westby, WI; Tri-County Whitehall High School - Whitehall, WI; Whitehall Fire Department - Whitehall, WI; Tri-County Ambulance Service - Whitehall, WI; Wilton Ambulance Service - Wilton, WI; Yuba Emergency Medical Services - Yuba, WI; | |||
| Out-of-State: | Campuses: | None. | ||
| Additional Locations: | None. | |||
| Out-of-U.S.: | Campuses: | None. | ||
| Additional Locations: | None. | |||
| Location | Campuses | Additional Locations |
| In-State: | None. | Arcadia High School - Arcadia, WI; Arcadia Fire Department - Arcadia, WI; Arcadia Ambulance Services - Arcadia, WI; Bangor Emergency Medical Services - Bangor, WI; Western Technical College Black River Falls - Black River Falls, WI; Jackson Correctional Institute - Black River Falls, WI; Gross Motors - Black River Falls, WI; Black River Falls High School - Black River Falls, WI; Black River Falls Ambulance Services - Black River Falls, WI; Ho Chunk Nation Emergency Medical Services - Black River Falls, WI; Blair Fire Department - Blair, WI; Camp Douglas Fire Department - Camp Douglas, WI; Cashton Emergency Medical Services - Cashton, WI; Scenic Valley Emergency Medical Service - Cochrane, WI; Coon Valley Emergency Medical Services - Coon Valley, WI; De Soto Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - De Soto, WI; Wheatland Emergency Medical Services - De Soto, WI; Royall High School - Elroy, WI; Elroy Area Fire Ambulance Association - Elroy, WI; Ettrick Fire Department - Ettrick, WI; Ferryville Emergency Medical Services - Ferryville, WI; Fountain City Emergency Medical Services - Fountain City, WI; Galesville Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Galesville, WI; Geona Emergency Medical Services - Genoa, WI; Hillsboro Area Ambulance Service - Hillsboro, WI; Hixton Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Hixton, WI; Holmen Emergency Medical Services - Holmen, WI; Independence Regional Learning Center - Independence, WI; Automotive/Diesel Technology Center - La Crosse, WI; Apprenticeship and Industry Training Center - La Crosse, WI; Health Science Center - La Crosse, WI; La Crosse County Jail - La Crosse, WI; Shelby Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - La Crosse, WI; La Crosse Fire Department - La Crosse, WI; La Crosse Regional Airport - La Crosse, WI; La Farge Area Ambulance - La Farge, WI; Lyndon Station Emergency Medical Services - Lyndon Station, WI; Mauston Regional Learning Center - Mauston, WI; Mauston High School - Mauston, WI; Melrose-Mindoro High School - Melrose, WI; Farmington Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Mindoro, WI; New Lisbon Correctional Institution - New Lisbon, WI; New Lisbon Emergency Medical Services - New Lisbon, WI; Oakdale Emergency Medical Services - Oakdale, WI; Onalaska Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Onalaska, WI; Brice Prairie Emergency Medical Services - Onalaska, WI; Brookwood High School - Ontario, WI; Ontario Fire Department - Ontario, WI; Pigeon Falls Emergency Medical Services - Pigeon Falls, WI; Sparta Public Safety Training Facility - Sparta, WI; Sparta High School - Sparta, WI; Fort McCoy - Sparta, WI; Morrow Home Community - Sparta, WI; Sparta Fire Department - Sparta, WI; Cataract Emergency Medical Services - Sparta, WI; Stoddard Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Stoddard, WI; Taylor Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services - Taylor, WI; Tomah Regional Learning Center - Tomah, WI; Robert Kupper Learning Center - Tomah, WI; Tomah Fire Department - Tomah, WI; Tomah Area Ambulance Service - Tomah, WI; Trempealeau Emergency Medical Services - Trempealeau , WI; Viroqua Regional Learning Center - Viroqua, WI; Sleepy Hallow - Viroqua, WI; Viroqua Fire Department - Viroqua, WI; Warrens Emergency Medical Services - Warrens, WI; Waumandee Emergency Medical Services - Waumandee, WI; West Salem Fire Department - West Salem, WI; West Salem Emergency Medical Services - West Salem, WI; Westby Emergency Medical Services - Westby, WI; Tri-County Whitehall High School - Whitehall, WI; Whitehall Fire Department - Whitehall, WI; Tri-County Ambulance Service - Whitehall, WI; Wilton Ambulance Service - Wilton, WI; Yuba Emergency Medical Services - Yuba, WI; |
| Out-of-State: | None. | None. |
| Out-of-U.S.: | None. | None. |
About HLC and Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditation agency that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities that are based in the United States.
Institutional accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources. HLC’s accreditation includes all degree levels as well as onsite and online course delivery. Institutions of higher education in the United States may also seek accreditation through specialized or programmatic accreditation agencies, which accredit programs, departments or schools within a college or university.
Institutions that HLC accredits are evaluated against its Criteria for Accreditation, a set of standards that institutions must meet to receive and/or maintain accredited status. HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation reflect a set of Guiding Values.
The accreditation process is based on a system of peer review. Approximately 2,000 educators from institutions of higher education serve as HLC peer reviewers conducting accreditation evaluations for other institutions. They make recommendations to HLC’s decision-making bodies, which take final action on institutional evaluations and are made up of both peer reviewers and public members.
Evaluation Process
HLC accreditation assures quality by verifying that an institution (1) meets threshold requirements and (2) is engaged in continuous improvement. In addition, all institutions are required to data annually in the Institutional Update, undergo annual monitoring of financial and non-financial indicators, and adhere to HLC policies and practices, including Assumed Practices and Obligations of Membership.
Decision Making
HLC’s decision-making bodies evaluate and make decisions, called actions, on recommendations from peer review teams that review institutions for their compliance with HLC's Criteria for Accreditation and other requirements. The decision-making bodies are comprised of institutional representatives and public members. See Decision-Making Bodies and Processes for more information.
Public Information
HLC is committed to providing information to the public regarding accreditation decisions made regarding individual institutions.
Actions that are taken by HLC regarding an institution’s accreditation status are disclosed to the public. In cases of reaffirming continued accreditation, placing an institution on or reviewing a sanction, or withdrawing accreditation, the Action Letter issued to the institution is made available for viewing on the institution’s Statement of Accreditation Status, found by searching the institution’s name through HLC’s online directory. Public Disclosure Notices are also issued and posted in the directory in cases of sanction, assigning or removing an institutional designation, resignation of accreditation or candidacy, institutional closing or withdrawal of accreditation by HLC. The PDN provides the public with the most applicable information from the posted Action Letter. HLC decision-making outcomes also are summarized on the HLC Institutional Actions page.
Complaints Against Institutions
HLC has a formal complaint process, consisting of an online complaint form on the HLC website, for faculty, students and other parties to submit information regarding a member institution’s potential non-compliance with HLC requirements. HLC does not accept complaints through mail, email or over the phone. As stated in HLC policy, the complaints process is designed to enable HLC to review, in a timely and fair manner, information that suggests potential substantive non-compliance with an institution’s ability to meet HLC requirements.
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