Accrediting commission updates the status of UH community colleges

Four of six campuses removed from warning status

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Carolyn Tanaka, (808) 956-9803
Mia Noguchi, (808) 956-9095
External Affairs & University Relations
Posted: Jul 6, 2005

HONOLULU - The Western Association of Schools and Colleges‘ Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) has removed the warning status previously placed on four community colleges for issues surrounding assessment and program review.

The community colleges removed from warning status are:

Kapiʻolani Community College

Kauaʻi Community College

Leeward Community College

Maui Community College


The ACCJC continued the warning status for Windward Community College and Honolulu Community College and placed Hawaiʻi Community College on warning.

All seven community colleges are fully accredited by ACCJC. The accredited status of the institution continues during the warning period. Warning status, the mildest form of sanction levied by the ACCJC, reflects the Commission‘s concern about a "course deviating from the Commission‘s eligibility criteria, standards or policies."

Removal of the warning status was based on progress reports submitted by the UH community colleges and a report by the ACCJC evaluation team, which visited the campuses in April.

Interim President David McClain commented, "I‘m pleased that the Commission has recognized the efforts of our community colleges which resulted in the removal of four of our community colleges from warning status. I am confident that the leadership, faculty and staff of our three remaining community college campuses will move quickly to implement the ACCJC recommendations."

The ACCJC also recommended that the UH system identify more clearly the community college system functions, workflow, and decision making processes in areas of academic planning, administrative and fiscal operations. McClain observed that the evaluation reports were prepared before the UH Board of Regents voted last month to approve the reorganization of the community colleges and said, "I expect the ACCJC will react favorably to the reorganization."

Under the reorganization, community college chancellors will report to the new vice president for community colleges for leadership and coordination of community college matters. The office will be responsible for executive leadership, policy decision-making, resource allocation, and development of support services.

The Commission has requested another progress report from the community colleges by October 15, 2005.

For a complete copy of the report, visit http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/app/aa/#cc.

For more information, visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/app/aa/#cc