Four recommendations and seven commendations were given to PCC as a result of WASC’s accreditation team’s evaluation on March 1 to 3 this year. However, PCC assures the public that it is prepared to accept and accomplish the recommendations.
“We accept the warning,” said PCC President Patrick Tellei. “And we will make sure to address those four recommendations before the due date on March 14, 2011.”
First, the accrediting team recommends improvement of the college’s institutional effectiveness. In its letter to Tellei dated June 30, WASC recommends that the college establish and implement clear written policies and procedures that demonstrated the flow of human, facilities, technology and financial planning protocols, among others.
Recommendation number 2 is to ensure the effectiveness of library services support for student learning. “Initially, when they came the last time, they asked us to build a new library,” explained Tellei. “Once we built the new library, we need to make sure that whatever is inside is appropriate. So it’s a step-by-step process.”
The third recommendation is on human resources. The team recommends that the college practice transparency, collaboration and communication in the development, implementation and review of all policies and procedures to increase the effective use of human resources and meet its administrative needs.
The fourth recommendation focuses on leadership and governance. The college must formalize the structure of the Executive Committee, communicate and implement all governance process for faculty, staff, students and administrations, and assess the effectiveness of those processes.
Tellei informed his Board of Trustees, cabinet and the executive committee in previous meetings that he is committed to address the four recommendations “within a systematic and collaborative process of planning and assessment in a college-wide effort of improvement measures.”
“In fact, we have already fulfilled recommendations 2 and 3,” shared Tellei. “For recommendation 2, a new librarian will be onboard on the first week of August.”
Although the accredited status of PCC continues while on Warning period, the college has only two years to comply with the recommendations.
“Before there was no two-year rule,” explained Tellei. “Before you can take as long as you want to accomplish the recommendations, but now to make sure that schools comply with the recommendations, the US Department of Education put the two-year rule.”
Not later than June 2012, PCC must accomplish all the recommendations. A follow-up report must also be submitted by March 15 next year. According to Tellei, the accreditation is necessary in order for students to be eligible for financial assistance such as Title IV funds, Pell Grants and College Work Study.
“Students pay their tuition through Bell Grants. They get at least $5,500 each,” said Tellei. “If we lose the accreditation, we will lose all eligibility to the funding. There’s a lot at stake here. So there’s no way that we are going to lose the accreditation. We have already met all the 21 accreditation requirements except for those four.”
Given the warning status, however, PCC continues to provide programs and services to its full capacity. Tellei assured everyone that a plan of action is in progress to address the recommendations within a two-year period.
The accrediting team also commended PCC for its responsiveness to diverse educational and vocational needs of the community and its initiative to create programs to serve those needs; its efforts to bring diverse students to the campus, provide student assistance and engage these students through varied educational programs; its commitment to cultivate respect and a broad range of talents, knowledge and diversity to the people of Palau and the Micronesian region; its partnership with San Diego State University which allows staff access to obtain bachelors and masters degrees in the field of education and leadership; its ability to obtain federal grants that have enabled administrators, staff, faculty and students to participate in professional development training; its renovations to existing facilities and new construction that have occurred over the last few years; and the determination of its president to work in collaboration with external agencies in responsive efforts to meet community needs.
“I am humbled by the commendations and encouraged by the recommendations,” shared Tellei. “This is for the community; this is for all of us.”
The next time PCC we will be up for accreditation will be in 2016.
