Public Accreditation Action Summary Regarding the Status of
California State University, Fresno, Master’s Degree Program in Nursing
Issued by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
July 8, 2019
This public statement is provided by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
(CCNE), and it summarizes the reasons for CCNE’s decision to withdraw accreditation
from the master’s degree program in nursing at California State University, Fresno,
located in Fresno, California. CCNE is a nationally recognized accrediting body for
baccalaureate and graduate programs in nursing.
At its meeting on May 7-10, 2019, the CCNE Board of Commissioners withdrew
accreditation from the master’s degree program in nursing at California State
University, Fresno for failure to demonstrate substantial compliance with the CCNE
standards and key elements. Specifically, the Board determined that the program
failed to meet Standard III (Program Quality: Curriculum and Teaching-Learning
Practices) and Standard IV (Program Effectiveness: Assessment and Achievement of
Program Outcomes). Compliance concerns were identified for Key Elements I-B, I-E, IID, III-A, III-E, III-G, III-H, IV-A, IV-E, IV-F, IV-G, and IV-H. Thus, the Board determined
that the program failed to demonstrate substantial compliance with the CCNE
standards and key elements.
The program was reviewed against the CCNE Standards for Accreditation of
Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs (2013). The CCNE Standards document is
accessible at http://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CCNE/PDF/Standards-Amended2013.pdf. The specific compliance concerns, by key element, which formed the basis
for the Board’s decision to withdraw accreditation, are presented as follows:
1. The program failed to demonstrate that the mission, goals, and expected student
outcomes are reviewed periodically and revised, as appropriate, to reflect:
professional nursing standards and guidelines; and the needs and expectations of
the community of interest (Key Element I-B).
2. The program failed to demonstrate that documents and publications are accurate
(Key Element I-E).
3. The program failed to demonstrate that faculty are sufficient in number to
accomplish the mission, goals, and expected program outcomes (Key Element II-D).
4. The program failed to demonstrate that the curriculum is developed, implemented,
and revised to reflect clear statements of expected student outcomes that are
congruent with the program’s mission and goals, and with the roles for which the
program is preparing its graduates (Key Element III-A).
5. The program failed to demonstrate that the curriculum includes planned clinical
practice experiences that enable students to integrate new knowledge and
demonstrate attainment of program outcomes; and are evaluated by faculty (Key
Element III-E).
6. The program failed to demonstrate that individual student performance is
evaluated by the faculty and reflects achievement of expected student outcomes,
and that evaluation policies and procedures for individual student performance are
defined and consistently applied (Key Element III-G).

 7. The program failed to demonstrate that curriculum and teaching-learning practices
are evaluated at regularly scheduled intervals to foster ongoing improvement (Key
Element III-H).
8. The program failed to demonstrate that a systematic process is used to determine
program effectiveness (Key Element IV-A).
9. The program failed to provide evidence that program outcomes demonstrate
program effectiveness (Key Element IV-E).
10. The program failed to provide evidence that faculty outcomes, individually and in
the aggregate, demonstrate program effectiveness (Key Element IV-F).
11. The program failed to demonstrate that the program defines and reviews formal
complaints according to established policies (Key Element IV-G).
12. The program failed to demonstrate that data analysis is used to foster ongoing
program improvement (Key Element IV-H).
In accordance with U.S. Department of Education requirements and CCNE policy, CCNE
informed the U.S. Department of Education, institutional and other accrediting
agencies, appropriate state agencies, and the public of the final action.
In accordance with CCNE policy, the institution was afforded the opportunity to appeal
the decision but chose not to do so. The effective date of the adverse action is May 23,
2019. In its action letter dated June 18, 2019, CCNE provided California State
University, Fresno with an opportunity to submit official comment regarding the final
action. The institution chose not to do so.
This accreditation action summary has been disseminated to California State
University, Fresno, the U.S. Department of Education, institutional and other
accrediting agencies, and appropriate state agencies, and is available to the public on
request.
For additional information regarding the CCNE accreditation process, call 202-887-6791
x256 or access the CCNE Procedures at
http://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CCNE/PDF/Procedures.pdf.