CHC Placed on "Warning" Status by Accrediting Commission
Publish Date: Feb. 11, 2015
San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) and Crafton Hills College (CHC) have both received the results of their multi-year Accreditation site visit and reporting cycle from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). Both schools have been placed on "warning" status and must submit follow-up reports addressing the areas of concern by March 15, 2016. Accrediting Team visits will follow the filing of the follow-up reports.
There is no change in either institution's accreditation standing as a result of the warning; the ACCJC provides the additional reporting time for the Colleges to address issues raised in the extensive reports that assess areas of institutional mission and effectiveness, student learning programs and services, resources (including human resources, physical resources, technology and financial resources) and leadership and governance. The Commission also found that all previous recommendations made to both Colleges had been resolved.
The ACCJC letters received explain that "When warning is issued as a result of the institution's comprehensive external review of educational quality and instructional effectiveness, reaffirmation is delayed, but the accredited status of the institution continues during the period of warning."
Chancellor Bruce Baron said, "While I am disappointed with these results, this is not an unusual recommendation. Additionally, progress has already been made in many of the areas noted since last year's visit. We must work together and continue to move our Colleges and our District forward for the benefit of our students. In addition both Colleges received accolades and praise for many successful programs and services provided to students."
Concerns raised by the ACCJC and the visiting teams relate to each College and to the District office and services provided by the centralized District Office. Both letters and team reports are available on the respective College websites (ValleyCollege.edu and CraftonHills.edu) on their site accreditation pages.
At Crafton Hills College, the issues involved issues related to the completion of student learning outcomes; an update to its Distance Education plan; that a policy be adopted to address when programs are eliminated or significantly changed so that students are not negatively impacted by such changes; that regularly scheduled performance evaluations across all employee groups be adhered to and that the College catalog publication and mission statement processes be reviewed.
The ACCJC recommendation for SBVC was that the College must assess all program student learning outcomes on a regular basis as part of a sustainable cycle of continuous quality improvement, and that the College should review specific portions of its catalog production. In addition, the ACCJC addressed issues raised by a third party complainant and responses from the College and the District as to the qualifications of SBVC President Gloria Fisher, finding that "the President does not have a degree from a College recognized by a U.S. accrediting agency as is required for institutional compliance with ACCJC Accrediting Standards". SBVC President Fisher has agreed to pursue the required degree(s), per the ACCJC's recommendation.
Recommendations from the ACCJC regarding the District Office and the Board of Trustees were on both letters from the ACCJC and relate to the development of policies in a participative process; that the Human Resources services be improved; and that the Resource Allocation Model be transparent and inclusive and supported by a comprehensive Enrollment Management Plan and a Human Resource/Staffing Plan, integrated with other programs and plans and broadly communicated.
Chancellor Baron said, "I am very optimistic that we can address these issues and prepare a successful report for the ACCJC by the March, 2016 deadline. I look forward to a positive resolution and reaffirmation of our accreditation for another six years."
