University of Western States (UWS) President Joseph Brimhall, DC, has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Dr. Brimhall began his three-year term to the board on July 1, 2019.
Dr. Brimhall is the first chiropractic physician to be elected to the CHEA board. He previously served on the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the Council on Chiropractic Education United States, the Council on Chiropractic Education Canada and the Councils on Chiropractic Education International.
The CHEA Board of Directors works closely with CHEA’s president to establish organizational goals addressing a range of issues including government affairs, international activities, recognition and member services. CHEA is an association of 3,000 degree-granting colleges and universities and recognizes 60 institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations. The council is a national advocate and institutional voice for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation; recognition by CHEA affirms that the standards, structures, and practices of accrediting organizations promote academic quality, improvement, accountability, and needed flexibility and innovation in the institutions or programs they accredit.
Dr. Brimhall’s appointment begins as he closes his time on the Board of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Dr. Brimhall served on the NWCCU board for 12 years including six years as chair of the Board of Commissioners. Commissioners are responsible for reviewing recommendations from peer-evaluation teams and making decisions about the accreditation status of colleges and universities within a seven-state Northwest region.
“I am honored to be appointed to CHEA. The opportunity will build upon the knowledge gained serving on the NWCCU board,” said Dr. Brimhall. “I look forward to my tenure and working to ensure the highest level of integrity in higher education.”