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Western Association of Schools and Colleges reaffirms ASCC accreditation

In a correspondence dated February 3, Dr. Richard Winn, Interim President of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), wrote to American Samoa Community College (ASCC) President Dr. Rosevonne Makaiwi-Pato with an update on the institution’s accreditation status.

“The WASC-ACCJC, at its meeting January 11-13, 2017, reviewed the Follow-Up Report and evidentiary materials submitted by ASCC,” wrote Dr. Winn. “College leadership, including the chairman of the Board of Higher Education and the College president certified the Report. The purpose of the Commission’s review was to determine whether the College resolved deficiencies noted during the spring 2015 comprehensive review and meets Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards and Commission policies (hereafter referred to as Standards).

“After considering the material noted above, the Commission acted to remove Warning and Reaffirm Accreditation. The Commission finds that ASCC has resolved deficiencies and meets Standards 1.A.2, 1.B.3, and 1.B.6. The Commission notes that the College has also demonstrated compliance with all Eligibility Requirements and Accreditation Standards in its Follow-Up Warning Report. The College is commended for the dramatic progress it has made to collect and analyze data. The Commission also acknowledges the large amount of work the College has accomplished to meet the remaining Standards and sustain compliance Standards. The next report due from ASCC is the Midterm Report, to be submitted in fall 2018.”

After stating the requirement that ASCC disseminate his letter among all signatories of the report, College faculty and staff, and the public, Dr. Winn praised the efforts of the College to meet the recent challenges pertaining to its accreditation. “On behalf of the Commission, I wish to express appreciation for the work that ASCC undertook to prepare the Follow-Up Report,” he wrote. “Thank you for sharing the values and the work of accreditation to ensure educational quality and support student success. Accreditation and peer review are most effective when the College and the ACCJC work together to focus on student outcomes and continuous quality improvement in higher education.”

ASCC President Dr. Makaiwi-Pato credits the efforts of the faculty and administrative staff for their longstanding efforts that have resulted in the College’s Accreditation being reaffirmed. “I want to thank you all for your endless commitment to ASCC,” she wrote in an internal memo.

“We have faced many challenges these past few years trying to understand and apply the WASC-ACCJC Standards. Not only have each of you spent long late hours here at the College during our Show Cause and Warning sanctions, each of you demonstrated the true essence of our ASCC Core Values in achievement of your divisional missions and more importantly, our College Mission. On behalf of the Board of Higher Education, thank you for all that you do and have done for the College. Each of you is to be commended,” she said.