Accreditation

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is the primary means by which colleges in the United States assure and improve quality. Colleges must apply for reaffirmation of accreditation every six years. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC/WASC), as overseen by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), takes actions on accreditation status for the California Community Colleges. The accreditation process focuses on self-study, peer review, and quality improvement.

How is Lassen Community College Doing?

Lassen Community College is fully accredited by ACCJC/WASC. The Accrediting Commission reaffirmed the accreditation of Lassen Community College in June of 2002. The Commission imposed the sanction of probation status on Lassen Community College in January 2007. The College is currently responding to ten remaining recommendations of the twenty-one recommendations forwarded to the College in August 2006, centering on planning and decision-making. President Dr. Douglas Houston is confident the College will satisfactorily respond to each one of the recommendations. “In particular, we will have demonstrated substantial improvement in the area of governance, the major point made by the Commission,” said Houston. The latest accreditation response, contained within a Progress Report due to the Accrediting Commission on October 15, 2007, has been coordinated by a campus-wide Accreditation Steering Committee.

Lassen Community College is not alone. A number of colleges have been placed on warning or probationary status by ACCJC/WASC, as the DOE holds accrediting commissions more accountable for their findings. Small schools have struggled to maintain the administrative overhead necessary to comply. Lassen Community College is working closely with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and our recovery process is providing a model for the State. “They [Chancellor’s Office] must rethink the support structure for small and rural colleges,” said President Houston, “and they are asking me what I need.” Houston says the Chancellor is committed to helping Lassen, and all small colleges, survive and thrive.

Do Lassen Community College classes transfer?

The University of California, California State Universities and other universities and colleges both inside and outside of California give credit for transfer courses completed at Lassen Community College. Please contact the university to which you plan to transfer, or the Lassen Community College Transfer Center, to ensure transferability of specific courses. Not all community college courses transfer to four-year institutions.

Reports

Responses from ACCJC

Next Steps For Lassen Community College

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