Glendale Community College is having our site visit from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) this Fall, October 3-6, 2016. Every seven years, community colleges work through an accreditation cycle which includes the college producing a Self-Evaluation Report (based off of set Standards), and a site visit wherein a visiting team made up of our peers verifies the information that we provide in our Report. The process of Accreditation is one of the most important things we do at the College. A successful Accreditation cycle means that our course units transfer to other colleges, and that our students are eligible to receive federal financial aid. Not only that, but it encourages us to make time for much needed reflection and conversation about our processes in place.
Read the Self-Evaluation Report
Our Self-Evaluation Report is online and ready for your review. You can find it at www.glendale.edu/accreditation. We strongly recommend that all staff read the Self-Evaluation (or at least the parts that are related most closely to their roles) so that everyone can be made aware of procedures happening at all levels. The Evaluation is a lengthy report, so if you’re only interested in reading a couple sections, here is the breakout of the sections:
I. Mission, Academic Quality and Institutional Effectiveness and Integrity
I.A. Mission (4 Standards)
I.B. Assuring Academic Quality and Institutional Effectiveness (9 Standards)
I.C. Institutional Integrity (14 Standards)
II. Student Learning Programs and Support Services
II.A. Instructional Programs (16 Standards)
II.B. Library and Learning Support Services (4 Standards)
II.C. Student Support Services (8 Standards)
III. Resources
III.A. Human Resources(15 Standards)
III.B. Physical Resources (4 Standards)
III.C. Technology Resources (5 Standards)
III.D. Financial Resources (16 Standards)
IV.Leadership and Governance
IV.A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes (7 Standards)
IV.B. Chief Executive Officer (6 Standards)
IV.C. Governing Board (13 Standards)
What to Expect When the Team Arrives:
The Site Team will have their team room in the Facilities Conference Room (2nd floor of the Health Sciences Building) for the duration of time that they are here. They may request to speak with individuals who chair committees or governance groups. They may request to see Learning Outcomes, Course Syllabi, Course Outlines, Minutes, Agendas, etc. If you get a phone call that the Site Team would like to meet with you, don’t worry. Hopefully you’ll have read the section of the Standards that apply to you and they may ask additional questions or ask for clarification. At least once during their stay, they will hold one large meeting that is open to everyone at the college.
A few weeks after their visit, Glendale College will receive the Site Team’s initial report. That report also goes to the ACCJC who in turn will issue their own report in January 2017. At that point, we will most likely have 18 months to respond to the report with corrections and/or changes. Our efforts will be noted in what’s called the "18-month Follow Up.”
Quality Focus Essay (QFE)
You may have heard some “talk” about the QFE. This piece of the Accreditation Self Evaluation is new. All colleges are now required to write a QFE which addresses areas where the College recognizes that improvements can be made. The QFE provides a plan and timeline for how the College intends on improving those areas. Glendale’s QFE will address Integration of Plans and Learning Outcomes.
You Can Become an Evaluator
If you’re interested in becoming an Evaluator on a Site Team, please contact GCC’s Accreditation Liaison Officer, Jill Lewis, ext. 5103. She can provide you with an application for the ACCJC. Not only is this great experience in seeing and learning how other colleges meet the Standards, but you’ll be of great help in the next Accreditation Cycle here at GCC.
If you still have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Jill Lewis, ext. 5103, Ed Karpp, Dean of Research and Planning, ext. 5392, Beth Kronbeck, Accreditation Faculty Coordinator, ext. 5743 or Daphne Dionisio, faculty volunteer, ext. 5722.
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