So far, so good.
The Bakersfield College observer might infer this attitude of Dr. Jerome Hunter, Ed. D, head chair of the accreditation team, which came to BC Oct. 25-26 to evaluate the Kern Community College District, including BC.
Hunter is the chancellor for the North Orange County Community College District. Every six years an accreditation team must assemble to reaffirm the accreditation of each California community college.
“This is not a process that can be taken lightly,” Hunter said, speaking in BC’s Forum West Oct. 26 at 1-2 p.m. Colleges can and do lose accreditation, Hunter said. If BC lost its accreditation, students would not be able to transfer BC course credit to four-year institutions, BC officials say.
Hunter and his team examined, among other things, how BC and other Kern colleges fulfilled their mission statements. According to Hunter, the district should be commended for its adherence to “broad-based learning” as well as for properly “implementing” their budget. Hunter also said the District should be commended for “making its education master plan a living document.” Hunter also found the district’s communication network had been vastly improved.
However, Hunter and his team found many areas in which the district could improve.
Hunter reported that the district needs to develop a self-evaluation procedure as well as an ethics policy procedure.
He stated that there needs to be a written code of ethics for all district employees. The district needs to develop a training program for self-evaluation as well as develop a procedural response to any future demographics change.
Hunter suggested that the district examine how it allocates its resources. “There should be more policy direction as a whole,” Hunter said.
Hunter’s team examined the district’s handling of student learning programs and services, as well as human and physical resources. Lastly, leadership and governance branches are examined.
In BC’s Collins Conference Room Oct. 25 at 11 a.m., Tim Karas, as a representative of the evaluation team, invited BC professors and students in attendance to comment on issues pertinent to the running of the college.
Karas, of Santa Clara County, remarked that BC appeared to be very much “embedded in the (Bakersfield) community.”
“This is your hour,” said Karas who has served twice on accreditation teams.
Sue Vaughn, director of BC’s admissions and records, spoke up, and, as she said, “crowed.”
BC, Vaughn said, is the only “banner” college in the state where students can go online and get information on whether they can be certified for IGETC, GEC, or general education.
Kathleen Loomis-Tubbesing, coordinator for distance learning, marveled at the improvement in BC’s communication network.
“Everybody (employees on the BC campus) used to be in their own little silos,” Loomis-Tubbesing said. That is no longer the case, she noted.
“I feel very connected with district,” Vaughn commented.
William Andrews, BC president, said the accreditation process would continue until approximately June 2007.