The IVC Accreditation letter arrives and it's a doozy

.....The ACCJC's action letter, explaining the agency's latest determination regarding IVC's accreditation, arrived on campus yesterday, and it once again tags the college for the problems identified the last time around: trustee micromanagement, a plague of despair, unclear roles and responsibilities for governance groups, etc.
.....Evidently, we are required to submit yet another report in October.
.....None of this is surprising. What IS surprising is that, apparently, we are now in danger of losing our accreditation.

.....Both letters are now available at the college websites. For IVC's letter, see Jan. 31 ACCJC letter -- a pdf file. (For Saddleback College's very similar letter, go to Saddleback College ACCJC letter.)

.....The letter states:

.....The ACCJC, WASC, at its meeting on January 9-11, 2008, reviewed the Focused Midterm Reports submitted by IVC....

.....The Commission took action to accept the Focused Midterm Report with the requirement that the college complete a Progress Report...[to] be submitted by October 15, 2008.

.....I also wish to inform you that under US DOE regulations, institutions out of compliance with standards or on sanction are expected to correct deficiencies within a two-year period or the Commission must take action to terminate accreditation. [!]

.....Irvine Valley College must correct the deficiencies noted by January 2009. The recommendations below represent deficiencies that were first noted by the Commission in January 2005 (as a result of the Oct. 2004 comprehensive evaluation team), and therefore IVC has exceeded the two years permitted to resolve deficiencies.

.....The Commission has extended the time permitted for good cause because the college and the district have done significant work and have sought and received advice from expert consultants....

The letter again repeats Recommendations 6, 7, and 8: the ACCJC recommends...

6: The Board of Trustees cease involvement in college and district operations....

7: The Board..., District leadership and College leadership define, publish, adhere to, regularly evaluate, and continuously improve the respective leadership roles and scopes of authority of college and district constituent groups....

8: The Board of Trustees, chancellor, president, administrators, managers, faculty senates and unions, classified senates and unions, and students come together and take measures to reduce the hostility, cynicism, despair, and fear that continue to plague the college.

.....So we've got trouble.

.....Our board of trustees has a history of displaying contempt for the ACCJC, and now we're paying the price, I guess. For some of that contempt--especially concerning the charge of board micromanagement, which reaches back to 1997!--check out the video below. Pay especially close attention to Mr. Fuentes' bullying of the student trustee toward the end of the video.



.....For the ACCJC's recent institutional actions, go to: ACCJC actions.

SADDLEBACK COLLEGE'S "ACTION" LETTER:

Over the Rainbow

Thousands of people turned out at the Del Mar Fairgrounds yesterday to urge the Coastal Comission to reject the extension of the 241 toll road -and you know what? - they did! The Commission voted 8-2 after a 14 hour hearing.

Read all about it here in the OC Register.




We're on a roll, folks.