Taking WGU seriously: Implications of the Western Governors University

After much attention during its development, the continued importance of the Western Governors University (WGU) has not been significantly addressed since it opened in 1998. While certainly not dominating the higher education environment as predicted by its founders, it has nonetheless demonstrated a new competency-based distance education model for higher education. For that reason, the implications of WGU should be taken seriously. Three potential implications for colleges and universities are outlined: accreditation policies, organizational models, and faculty roles. While its survival as an institution is questionable, the concepts behind WGU remain important in changes in American higher education.