Devin Brown
Prof. Richard J. Follett led a workshop on accreditation Nov. 18 for the Pierce College Council (PCC).
The purpose of the meeting was to self-evaluate how well the Council is currently working, if the PCC can function more effectively and to prepare for accreditation self-study.
“Accreditation is an institutional development and improvement through self study and periodic evaluation by qualified peer professionals,” said Greg Gilbertson chair of accreditation for Pierce College.
After the introduction of new members the PCC broke into eight groups, as an exercise playing the game of defining terms; college and colleague, what these two words really mean and how they interrelate with one another.
The first draft of the accreditation is being written by a committee who develops the outline.
The draft will be reviewed in Winter, by an editor who works with the chair and several other members, afterwards they will revise and get a second draft ready for review by Spring, 2006.
In Fall 2006 the finalized review will be mailed with the self-study to the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, after they review everything, the ACCJC will make a site visit in Spring, 2007 along with a final decision on accreditation.
Everyone listed one or two things they got from the day’s self-evaluation and how it will change things.
The key ending was “trust and cooperation,” how everything is a give and take and we need this because of the large size of the campus, compromises are necessary.
Follett ended the meeting with “kudos for your willingness to serve,” and calling everyone the “often unappreciated warriors of the campus.”