Cerro Coso Community College is seeking public feedback on its Accreditation Self Evaluation Report available for review online at https://www.cerrocoso.edu/accreditation/accreditation-2018. The college is preparing for its accreditation visit conducted by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This visit, and the preparation that it involves, occurs on a six year cycle.
A team of community college professionals is scheduled to visit Cerro Coso this October. A critical part of the preparation for their visit involves compiling an Institutional Self Evaluation Report to addresses the mandated themes established by the accrediting commission.
"Cerro Coso is requesting feedback from members of the communities in the Cerro Coso service area on the completed document. The report is posted online and comment are welcome,” stated Vice President of Instruction Dr. Corey Marvin.
Third-party comments assist the college's accreditor, the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges, as it considers the college for reaffirmation of accreditation. The commission reviews all third-party comments for their applicability to Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, or Commission policies. Such comments must be submitted in writing, signed, and accompanied by the affiliation, return address and telephone number of the correspondent. Please submit your comment to - Natalie Dorrell, Director of Public Relations and Institutional Advancement, 3000 College Heights Blvd., Ridgecrest, CA 93555.
Accreditation is a voluntary, dual purpose process that schools undergo to ensure they are worthy of the trust placed in them to provide high quality learning opportunities and clearly demonstrate continual self-improvement. An accredited school is focused on a mission and goals for students; it is student-oriented and examines its students' performance continuously; it accepts objective evaluation from a team of outside peer professionals trained by WASC; it maintains qualified faculty within an effectively organized school; it collaboratively assesses the quality of its educational programs on a regular basis; and it plans for the future.
In addition to ACCJC, Cerro Coso Community College is fully approved by the Board of Governors, California Community Colleges and other state and federal agencies.
"Community feedback, including suggestions and/or criticisms, is an important component of our ability to validate what we do as a college,” concluded Dr. Marvin.
