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JCCC to be visited by accreditation team
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Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Associate Vice President, Marketing Communications, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

9/14/09
Story by Julie Haas

JCCC to be visited by accreditation team

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Johnson County Community College will undergo a comprehensive quality check-up visit Nov. 11-13, 2009, by a team representing the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. JCCC has been accredited by the Commission since 1975.

The Quality Check-up visit is part of JCCC’s participation in the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). AQIP provides an alternative process through which an educational institution can maintain its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. AQIP differs from the traditional accreditation process in that it focuses exclusively on processes, not on end products.

AQIP calls upon institutions to undergo a systems appraisal every four years, which allows the college to get expert, objective, third-party feedback on its strengths and opportunities for improvement. In turn, what the college learns from the systems appraisal helps faculty and staff determine the next targets for advancing quality at JCCC through action projects and other plans.

The AQIP team is visiting the campus to review successful processes and measure how suggestions made in the systems appraisal report have been addressed. The team will review the college’s ongoing ability to meet the commission’s criteria for accreditation.

The Higher Learning Commission is one of six accrediting agencies in the United States that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Institutional accreditation evaluates an entire institution and accredits it as a whole. Other agencies provide accreditation for specific programs. Accreditation is voluntary. The commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and accredits approximately 1,100 institutions of higher education in a 19-state region.

The public is invited to submit comments regarding JCCC to:

Public Comment on Johnson County Community College
Commissions on Institutions of Higher Education
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, Illinois 60602

The public can also submit comments on the Commission’s web site at  ww.ncahlc.org.

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs. Comments must be in writing and signed; comments cannot be treated as confidential. All comments must be received by Oct. 9, 2009. The commission cannot guarantee that comments received after the due date will be considered.

(Individuals with a specific dispute or grievance with an institution should request the separate policy on complaints document from the commission office. The Higher Learning Commission cannot settle disputes between institutions and individuals. Complaints will not be considered third-party comment.)

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