Ads by Google Ads by Google

ASCC accreditation placed on \Show Cause\ status

The American Samoa Community College has been placed on “Show Cause” due to “deficiencies” identified by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), which recently released a “Public Disclosure Notice” about the accreditation of the territory’s only institution of higher education.

 

Samoa News learned of the “Public Disclosure Notice” around 3 p.m. yesterday, as it was publicly released on the ACCJC website. ASCC acting president Rosevonne Pato was in a meeting around 3:20 p.m. yesterday and she didn’t immediately respond to a phone message left at ASCC for a call-back.

 

ACCJC is one of the accrediting commissions of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

 

The public notice states that ACCJC ordered “show cause” for ASCC when the Commission, at its Jan. 7-9, 2015 meeting reviewed the institution’s adherence to the Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, and Commission policies as part of a comprehensive external evaluation for academic quality and institutional effectiveness.

 

“The Commission found there were deficiencies in ASCC policies, procedures, practices and outcomes which resulted in substantial noncompliance with standards,” the notice states. “Due the imposition of Show Cause, the ASCC’s reaffirmation of accreditation has been delayed.”

 

The notice explained that ASCC has been provided a period of time to prove that its accreditation should not be terminated, by demonstrating that it has corrected the deficiencies and that ASCC now meets the standards.

 

ACCJC makes clear in the notice that ASCC “remains accredited during this time, but is on Show Cause status.”

 

The next step now, according to the notice, is that the college will be monitored by the Commission and required to submit a Show Cause Report to the Commission in October 2015.  Additionally, an External Evaluation Team of professionals will visit ASCC in Fall 2015 to assess the institution’s compliance with the Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, or Commission policies.

 

Further, the Commission will review ASCC’s report, and that of the external evaluation team, at its meeting in January 2016. And if the Commission determines that ASCC has demonstrated compliance it will act to remove 'Show Cause'.

 

If determination is made that ASCC has not demonstrated compliance, the Commission will take further action as permitted under the Commission’s Policy on Commission Actions on Institutions.

 

ASCC “must make the necessary changes to its policies, procedures, practices and outcomes during the allocated period, in order to fully resolve the Commission’s findings and to achieve compliance with standards, and to gain reaffirmation of ASCC’s accreditation,” the notice states.

 

Additionally, ASCC has been notified of the opportunity to submit a response to the Commission’s decision. However, as of 4p.m. yesterday,  there was no response from ASCC posted on the ACCJC’s website— which means, the institution has opted not to provide a response, the notice states.

 

Samoa News will report in future editions regarding the accreditation status.