Bakersfield College is making some headway.
The Accreditation Steering Committee, headed by Ed Knudson, BC vice president of academic affairs, is working to address various recommendations for improvement in the operation of the college set forth by the visiting accreditation team known as the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
All colleges in this district and in other districts must submit to examination by this official accrediting team and must be found to be in full compliance with the guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Education.
If BC does not continue to address weaknesses noted by this visiting team, it will lose its accreditation status. That means BC students will not be able to transfer their BC credits to other institutions. Currently, BC has full accreditation status, which was granted by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The BC steering committee is examining the various BC departments and gathering information about them, said Knudson.
Many of the recommendations for improvement are connected with staffing, unit planning and program reviews, said Amber Chiang, BC director of marketing and public relations.
“We’ll be out and about to get evidence,” Chiang said.
The last ACCJC visit was in fall 2006, and the next visit will be in fall 2012. BC must submit a mid-term report that shows evidence of improvement by Oct. 15, 2009, according to Ann Morgan, who heads the institutional research and planning department. According to the steering committee’s work plan, by March 2, evidence of improvements at BC must be compiled and recorded. By April 27, a draft of the report must be completed. BC president Greg Chamberlain must examine this report by May 8, and the edited first draft must be sent to the college district office by May 15. Between May 22-Aug. 15, the committee must correct and post the final copy to the college Web site. The final copy must be approved by KCCD board of trustees by September.
Chamberlain describes BC’s process of self-examination as intense and ongoing.
“We need to respond to all of the recommendations,” said Chamberlain. “It’s a process of constantly looking for ways to improve.”
According to Knudson, progress has been made at BC. For example, BC has completed a code of ethics written specifically for employees. The visiting accreditation team noted that this code was missing in BC policy. Knudson also said that a budget allocation model has been completed and is in full day-to-day operation.
“A foremost concern is the expansion of efforts to assess student learning outcomes,” Morgan said.
Many BC students admit that they haven’t noticed that BC needs improvement.
“Has BC had any problems?” asked Amer Obordo, 19, BC nursing major.
Beatriz Loera, 22, child development, said that she hadn’t noticed BC had areas that needed to be addressed for corrective purposes.
“I haven’t seen anything wrong here,” she said. “But I only come here at night,” she admitted. She said that she hopes that BC retains its accredited status because she wants to transfer out. Some BC students express some concern that BC might not keep its accredited status.
“I’d hate to take my classes over again,” said Janelle Rhodes, 47, culinary arts major.Some BC students are confident that BC operates the way a college should.
“Things are running smoothly,” said Ben Vidales, 21, computer science major.