Faculty, staff and administration gathered in the music Recital Hall Oct. 29 to kick off the regular accreditation process.
The school goes through this process once every six years, the last occurring in 2008. The next accreditation is schedualed to visit LMC in October 2014.
The process starts with a self-evaluation and ends with a team of accreditors coming to LMC to interview the staff and review its findings. They also make suggestions for improvement.
The process is important for students because degrees and certificates are only worth something from an accredited school. This process, while lengthy at two years, ensures a quality education for students. In addition, only schools that are accredited can offer financial aid.
The professors must show portfolios of improvement in student learning and where changes in teaching have been made.
“The purpose is to assure public education meets standards of quality,” said Kiran Kamath, Accreditation Liaison Officer and Interim Sr. Dean of Instruction at LMC.
Kamath took the floor of the meeting providing an overall view of the process, giving teachers and staff a run down of what was to come.
By meeting with accreditor Kamath got an inside scoop on what they are looking for.
The goal of the accreditation process is to earn approval from the U.S. Department of Education, which recognizes high quality educational institutions.
The process ensures the institution is continuously improving. By looking at past recommendations the accreditors see that the school keeps improvements ongoing.
The process is something that all schools across the nation go through to make sure a higher quality of education is being provided.
The Accreditation Commission of Community Junior Colleges (ACCJC) is who evaluates the effectiveness of the institution and how to improve standards of quality.
The standards of accreditation focus on the effectiveness of the institution, along with areas of improvement.
They look at the quality of the human, physical, technological and financial resources, along with checking services that include various instructional programs, student support systems and library systems, making sure the students are getting what they need.
Bob Kratchovil explained how it’s a chance for professors to look at themselves and become better than they already are.
I think that accreditation is a process that educational institutions go through to evaluate themselves and their qualities,” said Kammath. “We want to provide the best instruction and services for students to succeed and do well.”
It is [accreditation] looking at us and trying to be the best, so that we can be the best for students.
“Because it is for students it would be great to have student input and representation,” said Kammath, “so that your voice is heard and we know what is working and where we need to make changes.”
