Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)

The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accredits associate degree granting institutions in California, Hawaii, the Territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. ACCJC is one of three commissions under the corporate entity known as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Accreditation is the process for evaluating and assuring the quality of education used by the American higher education community. It is a uniquely American quality assurance process through which institutions collectively set standards for good practice, conduct peer-based evaluations of institutions on a regular basis, confer accredited status on institutions, and make the results of accreditation review of institutions known to the public. The actions taken by the Commission over the past year can be found on their website.

Core Documents:

• Eligibility Requirements for Accreditation
  The Eligibility Requirements must be met completely in order for institutions to apply for eligibility for accreditation. Compliance with the criteria is expected to be continuous, and institutions that have achieved accreditation must demonstrate that they continue to meet the eligibility requirements in their self study reports.
• Accreditation Standards
  The Accreditation Standards are statements of best practice in higher education which institutions must meet or exceed when seeking initial accreditation and reaffirmation of accreditation from ACCJC.

Commission Publications:

• Accreditation Reference Handbook
  This handbook contains the Eligibility Requirements for initial accreditation and reaffirmation of accreditation, the ACCJC Standards, and current policies of the Commission.
• Distance Learning Manual
  This manual contains information that will assist member institutions as they plan and evaluate distance learning programs. It also provides team members with information that aids in the evaluation of these programs. The Commission Policy on Distance Learning is included.
• Eligibility, Candidacy, and Initial Accreditation Manual
  This manual includes the steps for establishing eligibility, candidacy, and initial accreditation by ACCJC as well as the Eligibility Requirements and Accreditation Standards.
• Guide to Evaluating Institutions
  This guide contains questions that might be asked about institutional quality as each accreditation standard is considered. It also provides suggestions for what might constitute evidence that an institution meets the standard. It is intended for use by institutions as they write their self-study report and by teams when evaluating institutions.
• Self-Study Manual
  This manual contains suggestions for how an institution should organize for self study as well as forms that must be submitted as part of the self-study report. It is intended for use by institutions as they prepare for self-study and the self-study report.

Source: Visit ACCJC's Official Website