The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) has been lifted from probation status by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).
ASCC received notice in early February from the Commission, a subsidiary of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), stating that ACCJC, during its January meeting, has taken action to remove the local community college from show cause sanction.
This comes 12 months after WASC-ACCJC placed ASCC under “Show Cause” sanction.
WASC-ACCJC President Dr. Barbara Beno, clarifies that, while ASCC is still required to take additional action, the College has successfully addressed the majority of non-compliance issues for which it was initially sanctioned.
Dr Beno writes that, “Following the Commission’s review of the October 2015 Show Cause Report and Show Cause Evaluation Team Report, the Commission finds the College has resolved most of the deficiencies in meeting standards and only remains out of compliance with three Standards.
ASCC must resolve the remaining deficiencies and meet the three remaining Standards by October 2016.
This deadline falls within the two-year period permitted by federal regulations.
WASC-ACCJC has determined that ASCC remains in non-compliance with 3 Standards but is now in compliance with all of the other twenty-four standards cited in the initial sanction.
The WASC-ACCJC website describes the warning sanction as action taken when “the institution has acknowledged serious noncompliance, has demonstrated affirmative steps, and plans to fully resolve the deficiencies within twelve months.
The Commission specifies the time within which the institution must resolve the deficiencies and demonstrate compliance, generally twelve to eighteen months.
During the warning period, the institution will be subject to reports and visits at a frequency to be determined by the Commission.
The accredited status of the institution continues during the warning period.
A press release from ASCC says the Commission, modifying the show cause sanction to warning marks a highly significant action indicating the progress ASCC has made and affirmative steps it has taken to address the concerns specified by WASC-ACCJC following a 2014 site visit which precluded the issuing of the Show Cause sanction in February 2015.
Acting ASCC President Dr. Rosevonne Makaiwi-Pato, on behalf of President Dr. Seth Galea’i, thanked the entire institution for their dedication, throughout the Show Cause sanction period.
She said, “The Commission’s action to remove show cause and to issue warning highlights the true essence of the core values of the ASCC family.”
