Friday, October 14, 2016

Dear Colleagues,

We look forward to seeing you at our next statewide CEO meeting at the League Annual Convention in Riverside on Thursday, November 17 from 1:15 to 4:15. This will be our first opportunity as a group to engage with our new Chancellor, Eloy Oakley. Please make every effort to be a part of this important meeting if you have not already registered. This is also our first opportunity to meet together since our statewide CEO meeting last spring, and accreditation will be among several key topics we will explore together.

A great deal of progress has taken place since our statewide CEO meeting and collaborative discussion about accreditation on March 13, 2016. As you recall, the California Community College Board of Governors approved a resolution on March 21 supporting the leadership of California community college presidents and chancellors in the effort to address challenges and opportunities involving accreditation. This is the seventh in a series of communication to our presidents and chancellors about the work taking place. All of the previous communications are on the League website.

Two important leadership changes have recently taken place at ACCJC. First, Rancho Santiago Chancellor Raul Rodriguez will assume the role as Chair of the Commission on October 31. Raul is actively participating in the two accreditation workgroups established by the CEO Board, and his leadership has been crucial in helping the Commission work with the CEOs who are committing many hours in the efforts to address immediate and long-term challenges. Raul, as incoming ACCJC Chair, is also participating in the development of these communication updates to CEOs concerning the collaborative work between the CEO Workgroups and the Commission.

Secondly, Commission President Barbara Beno has announced her retirement, effective at the end of the fiscal year. Raul will be Co-Chair of the search committee to identify a successor to Dr. Beno along with Dr. John Morton, Vice President for Community Colleges for the University of Hawaii system. This is the first search for a Commission President in more than fifteen years. The Commission leadership is in the process of securing a search consultant as quickly as possible.
The accreditation topics for our conversation on November 17 will include:

  • The timeline and process the Commission will utilize to select the next president of ACCJC.

  • Opportunities for feedback from the field about desired characteristics and experience for the next president.

  • An overview of proposed legislation and regulation involving peer accreditation at the state and federal levels.

  • An update on the status of review of ACCJC by the U.S. Department of Education.

  • Workgroup progress reports.

We will also be joined on November 17 by a special guest, Dr. Jamie Studley, former Deputy Undersecretary of Education with the U.S. Department of Education. Jamie has extensive experience and insights involving the accreditation process from a national perspective. We encourage you to email kingb@losrios.edu or call if you have suggestions for additional topics for discussion involving accreditation. Workgroup I, chaired by Contra Costa Chancellor Helen Benjamin, and Workgroup II, chaired by Grossmont-Cuayamaca Chancellor Cindy Miles, have been very active this fall. Helen and Cindy provided the Board of Governors with an update of progress of both workgroups at their September 20 meeting. The most recent meeting of Workgroup I was on October 11. Workgroup II will meet next on October 28. We look forward to discussing the progress of both groups on November 17. Thanks to all our colleagues who have been actively involved in this important work. We look forward to continuing the discussion together in November. 

Brian King
Chancellor, Los Rios CCD
Chair, CEO Board 

Raul Rodriguez
Chancellor, Rancho Santiago CCD
Incoming Chair, ACCJC 

Helen Benjamin
Chancellor, Contra Costa CCD
Chair, Workgroup I 

Cindy Miles
Grossmont-Cuayamaca CCD
Chair, Workgroup II 

 

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