Two years of planning for Pierce College’s accreditation culminates this week a team of 11 educators, a team from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, visits the campus to evaluate classes and facilities.
The visit, which began Monday and will end Thursday, will determine whether Pierce meets standards that reaffirm the school’s accreditation.
“Accreditation is important to students because it enforces good health and validation to the school,” said Mia Wood, faculty accreditation coordinator. “Courses that are accredited in this institution give students the chance to transfer to a four-year institution.”
Full accreditation also enables the college to be federally funded, Wood said.
The team members will have full access to the school and will be able to walk into classrooms and meetings at anytime, according to Wood.
Back in January, the Pierce Accreditation Steering Committee—co-chaired by Wood—sent their self-evaluation to the ACCJC.
“We respond to statements to show how the college does or does not show up to standards by providing evidence,” said Lyn Clark, chair of the Pierce College Council.
The standards provided by ACCJC go over the technology the school provides, where the funding for the school goes, how the school is guided by their leader, and the plan or mission for the school’s and its students’ futures.
“They come to this campus to confirm what they [were told] is what we do,” Wood said.
After the four days of evaluating, the team will put together a written assessment that determines if the school’s standards are up to code and then meet with the ACCJC and discuss their findings.
The commission will not make the final decision on Pierce’s accreditation until June, after which the college president will receive a letter regarding the results.
On the last day of the team’s stay, it will provide an exit report of the accreditation team chair’s summary of commendation and additional information, according to Jeanie Dewhurst, accreditation team assistant.
Even though two of three colleges that were accredited last year were put on probation, Wood is confident that Pierce’s evaluation will not have a similar result.
“Everything that the standards asked us to address has been addressed,” Wood said. “It’s all but impossible that we would lose our accreditation.”
College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly said, ultimately, what the team writes in its evaluation isn’t up to the school.
“We don’t know what the outcome will be in July,” Burke-Kelly said.
Wood said the team is comprised of peers of the faculty and staff peers.
“We are fortunate in that the people who serve on these visiting teams are our colleagues,” Wood said. “And they are donating their time.”
In addition to the visit, members of the team will be available to answer queries through forums in the Great Hall.
The first two forums took place Tuesday at 1:30 and 6 p.m., and the third will be hosted Wednesday at 10 a.m., according to an email sent out to Pierce students.
Though the team will be available for comments and questions, “they’re not hanging out,” Wood said.
Contributing: Matt Gottesman
