The Voice - Student Newspaper

Glendale Community College looking foward to reaccrediting

What made you decide to attend Glendale Community College (GCC)? Was it the convenient location of the campus? Or was it the reputation that the institution has of being a top-notch community college?

In order for a college or a university to be considered a reputable environment to receive an education, the institution must be accredited by a national accrediting agency.

According to Matt Ashcraft, former Director of Research and Planning for GCC, "The primary purpose of accreditation is to ensure quality of higher education for the public."

Accreditation is an essential stamp of approval that GCC is a good institution.

In 2011, officials from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) will be on campus to re-accredit GCC. GCC's last evaluation took place during the 2001-2002 school year.

When a college opens its doors for the first time, it must go through an eligibility process to receive the accreditation. If the school is eligible, members of the HLC inspect the campus thoroughly and go through just about everything on the school grounds. If the school is in suitable status, the HLC will not have to return for another 10 years, and the college is granted another decade of accreditation.

If issues are noticed among the school, the school may be granted less years of accreditation such as only five years, and may be forced to make changes.

When asked of the importance of continuing accreditation, Ashcraft points out one key reason, "the fact that Title IV of the Higher Education Reauthorization Act requires that institutions of higher education maintain accreditation in order to participate in the Federal Student Loan program" is one major reason to be accredited.

Many enrolled students rely on student loans to attend college, and without accreditation, these students cannot afford their education.

The criteria for accreditation are classified beneath five major headings.

According to "Institutional Accreditation: An Overview," criterion one says that, "The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve ...the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students."

Criterion two states, "The organization's allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission…"

Criterion three states, "The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness…"

The fourth criterion states, "The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students…"

Finally, the fifth criterion says, "…the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value."

For more information on the re-accreditation process, visit www.ncahlc.org. On this site, more detailed information is available regarding the accrediting agency, as well as an in-depth look at each of the criteria.