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ACCJC GONE WILD 1
Table of Contents 2
Introduction 2
What is ACCC and How Has It Gone Wrong? 2
ACCJC Violations Confirmed by U.S. Department of Education 2
Student Learning Outcomes 4
Widely Accepted Criteria 5
High Rate of Sanctions 6
Major Reasons for ACCJC Sanctions 7
Secrecy in ACCJC Operations 8
ACCJC and Advocates 9
Methods Used in Gone Wild 10
Chapter 1: Higher Education Accreditation 11
ACCJC and WASC 12
Violations of the Code of Federal Regulations 12
WASC 13
Quality
Assurance, Continuous Improvement, or Compliance 14
Application Process for Accreditation Agencies to Receive Reaccreditation 15
Staff Analysis of an Accrediting Agency's Application 16
Hearing Before the Advisory Committee 16
“National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) 17
Chapter 2: The ACCJC in Action 20
New Appeal Process Controlled by the ACCJC 21
College Ability to Plan, Prepare Reports, Review 22
Sanctions Criteria 23
ACCJC’s Extreme Number of Sanctions 24
U.S. Department of Education Pressure 25
Sanctions at January 2012 meeting 25
June 8-10, 2011 Sanctions 26
January 10-12, 2012 Sanctions 26
June 6-8, 2012 Sanctions 27
January 9-11, 2013 Sanctions 28
Actions on California Community Colleges 29
2011-2014 29
Sanctions 2003-2008 31
January 2009 – January 2012 32
Top Perceived Deficiencies Causing Sanctions 32
June 5-7, 2013 Actions 33
Accreditation Agency Sanctions 2013 35
January 2014 Common Deficiencies 36
ACCJC Actions of January 8-10, 2014 36
ACCJC SANCTIONS OF JANUARY 2014 – A NEW DIRECTION? 37
ASCCJC Actions of June 2014 38
Trends in Deficiencies Leading to Sanction January 2009 to January 2014 40
Chapter 3 Problems With ACCJC 42
Out of Touch With California Educational Environment 43
Public Disclosure and Retaliation 43
History of Complaints Against ACCJC 44
Hittelman Letter of November 21, 2001 on Standards 44
October 13, 2008 Hittelman Letter to ACCJC 45
December 2008 ACCJC Reply Filled with Errors 47
CCA/CTA Correspondence March 2009 49
CTA Letter March 2009 50
California Community Colleges Task Force Oct. 2009 51
Recommendations to ACCJC from Task Force 51
ACCJC Response to Concerns of Chancellor Scott and the Task Force Jan. 2012 52
The RP Group Findings of February 2011 54
CFT letter of January 8, 2013 Concerning Failure to Obey Timelines 56
Hittelman Complaint/Comment of April 30, 2013 57
ACCJC Response of May 31, 2013 58
June 26, 2013 Hittelman Response 59
Attacks on Board of Trustee Members 59
Los Angeles Southwest College 61
Ventura College 61
Chapter 4 Complaints/Lawsuits Filed and Reponses 62
Hittelman THIRD PARTY COMMENT FORM 63
June 28, 2013 Response from ACCJC 64
July 25, 2013 ACCJC Reply to Hittelman Complaint and Hittelman analysis 64
October 1, 2013 Hittelman Request for Information 66
City College of San Francisco - PLACED ON SHOW CAUSE (2012), ACCREDITATION REMOVED (2013) 67
Resolution of the Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges. 72
CFT Complaint Filed on April 30, 2013 72
ACCJC Response to CFT Complaint 73
May 30, 2013 Accrediting Commission Perfunctory Response to CFT Complaint/Comment 74
Letter to Chronicle of Higher Education by Commissioner Frank Gornick 76
CFT Statement on CCSF Loss of Accreditation 78
Statewide Community College Chancellor Brice Harris July 3, 2013 Statement on Appointment of Special Trustee 79
Parallel to Compton College 80
July 8, 2013 CFT Remarks to the Board of Governors 81
Statewide and CCSF Student Success Scorecards 2014 83
CFT Complaint to Department of Education July 26, 2013 85
ACCJC Information to the Field - July 2013 – An Unlikely Story 86
Accreditation Group finds ACCJC out of compliance – August 13, 2013 91
ACCJC Press Release of August 13, 2013 93
Letter from AFT Local 2121 to Scott-Skillman and Agrella 94
August 16, 2013 Letter from Beno to Agrella on Confidentiality of Review Process 96
August 19, 2013 Agrella Letter to the College Community 99
Save CCSF Coalition Complaint of August 19, 2013. 100
CFT letter to Brice Harris August 19, 2013 101
CFT CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT OF SEPTEMBER 24, 2013 103
Save CCSF Rally - November 7, 2013 106
California Joint Legislative Audit Committee – Action on August 21, 2013 108
Call for State Audit 108
Backgound for Call 110
2013-123 AUDIT SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES - Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges - Community College Costs and Nonstate-Approved Policies 112
San Francisco City Attorney files Law Suit August 22, 2013 112
ACCJC Press Release of August 23, 2013 on SF Attorney Suit 114
Trustee of Coast Community College District Support of Complaint August 20, 2013 114
Letter from State Superintendent of Public Instruction to ACCJC, September 17, 2013 115
ACCJC Press Release on Superintendent Tom Torlakson's Letter 117
September 5, 2013 Letter from Academic Senate to Department of Education 118
September 10, 2013 Complaint by the League of United Latin American Citizens 118
Complaint of September 25, 2013 by the San Mateo County Community College District 120
October 7, 2013 Letter from San Mateo Chancellor Galatolo 121
October 8, 2013 Letter from Beno to Dr. Bonnie Dowd Requesting Help 123
Oct. 24, 2013 Chancellor’s with Opposing Views 124
ACCJC Commissioner Kinsella Writes 124
San Mateo Chancellor Galatolo Replies 124
Save CCSF Coalition Files November 4, 2013 Lawsuit 126
Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Addresses ACCJC Issues 129
Visiting Team Reports and Privacy 133
Commission Composition 134
CFT and S.F. City Attorney File for Preliminary Injunction – Nov. 24, 2013 138
CFT Memorandum of Points 139
S.F. Injunction Information 141
Harris letter to Herrera of January 2, 2014 141
Superior Court Judge Karnow Issues Preliminary Injunction January 2, 2014 143
ACCJC January 13, 2014 Misleading Press Release 144
Department of Education Staff Report on ACCJC – November 2013 149
§602.13 Acceptance of the agency by others. 151
§602.18 Ensuring consistency in decision-making 154
January 28, 2014 Letter to Beno from Department of Education 157
Sections Violated by ACCJC as noted in letter and [remarks by Dept. of Education staff] 159
Chapter 5 ACCJC in 2014 163
January 2014 Meeting of the ACCJC 164
Lack of Transparency - CFT Letter of January 9, 2014 167
Report on ACCJC Meeting of January 10, 2013 168
Some of the Changes 169
New Policy On Complaints Against ACCJC 169
Policy on Commission Actions on Institutions 170
Policy on the Right and Responsibilities of the Commission and Member Institutions 170
Policy on Access to Commission Meetings 171
Review of CCSF Removal of Accreditation Decision 171
Letter from Saginor to Agrella 172
March 3, 2014 Save CCSF Answers ACCJC Claims to Dismiss Case 173
March 2014 Letter from Congressmembers to Secretary of Education Duncan 175
January 2014 ACCJC Meeting - Has Anything Really Changed? 176
Cabrillo College - Reaffirm Accreditation 178
ACCJC Threatens San Jose/Evergreen Community College District 178
San Mateo Community College – Reaffirm Accreditation 179
Victor Valley College - Remove Probation, Reaffirm Accreditation 182
Solano College – Remove Warning and Reaffirm Accreditation 183
Woodland Community College - Continue on Warning 184
College of the Sequoias – SHOW CAUSE to WARNING 185
Cuyamaca College - Reaffirm Accreditation 186
Grossmont College - Reaffirm Accreditation 188
Cuesta College - Removed from Warning, Reaffirmed Accreditation 189
Honolulu Community College – Removed from Warning, Accreditation Reaffirmed 189
El Camino College - Removed from Warning 189
January 2014 Revised Standards 189
Hittelman Statement to the ACCJC on Standards Revision 193
Feb. 7, 2014 ACCJC Threatens San Jose/Evergreen Community College District Over SLOs 193
On April 12, 2014, the California Community College Academic Senate approved the following resolution: 195
April 14, 2014 Letter from CCSF Chancellor Tyler to the College Community 198
Errors seen in commissioners' opinion piece on CCSF funding 198
April 18, 2014 Chief Executive Officers to ACCJC 199
Legislative Bills as of May 11, 2014 200
May 20, 2014 letter from BOG to ACCJC - the Smoking Gun? 203
May 27, 2014 Rejection of Reconsideration of CCSF Sanction 205
May 30, 2014 Resolution by California State Legislature 208
2014 Visiting Teams Light on Faculty Representation 208
June 11, 2014 - ACCJC Announces Proposed Language on Terminating Accreditation 218
CCSF Appeal Hearing Decision June 12, 2014 219
The Decision 221
Preliminary Considerations 221
Basic Contentions 222
Bias of the Panel 223
Declaration of Brice Harris In Support of Herrera Law Suit June 10, 2014 225
July 21, 2014 ACCJC Decision on Remand 227
Letter from ACCJC Accepting Restoration Status 229
June 2014 Sanctions – Inconsistent Results 231
June 2014 ACCJC Sanctions 232
Los Angeles Valley College - Continue Warning 232
Los Angeles Mission College - Remove Warning and Reaffirm Accreditation 233
Barstow Community College - Remove Warning and Reaffirm Accreditation 235
Ohlone College - Reaffirm Accreditation 235
Hartnell College - Remove Probation, Issue Warning 237
Moreno Valley College - Reaffirm Accreditation 239
Orange Coast College - Remove Warning and Reaffirm Accreditation 241
Coastline Community College - Remove Warning and Reaffirm Accreditation 242
Evergreen Valley College - Probation 242
San Jose City College - Probation 242
Cerritos College - Warning 243
West Valley College - Warning 245
Victor Valley College - Probation 246
Golden West College - Continue on Warning 248
Palo Verde College - Probation 249
Los Angeles Southwest College - Remove Warning and Reaffirm Accreditation 251
Lassen Community College - Reaffirm Accreditation 252
Norco College - Reaffirm Accreditation 253
June 26, 2014 California Bureau of State Audits (BSA) Report 254
New Commissioners - July 1, 2014 256
Gloria Romero 256
July 16, 2014 Judge Rejects ACCJC’s Attempt to Slow Down Legal Case 256
July 28, 2014 CCSF Leadership Applies for Restoration Status 257
Letter from ACCJC Accepting Restoration Status 259
Bonta Legislation Approved 261
October 10, 2014: Judge again rejects ACCJC attempt to stop trial 261
Proposed Change to Board of Governors' Regulation on Accreditation 261
October 14, 2014: CCSF Submits Accreditation Self Evaluation Report 262
Community College Consultation recommends removal of ACCJC in Board of Governors Regulations 263
October 22, 2014 CEOs to Beno and Herrera 264
The People v. ACCJC Goes to Trial October 27-31, 2014 265
Oct. 31, 2014 ACCJC: WHAT’S EDUCATION GOT TO DO WITH IT?! By Alvin Ja 271
IN WHOSE INTERESTS: PUBLIC, OR ACCREDITING COMMUNITY? 272
QUALITY OF EDUCATION NOT RELEVANT TO ACCREDITATION STANDARDS 272
UNFAIRNESS OF COMMISSIONER SELECTION/ELECTION 273
THE CONCEPT OF TEST VALIDITY 273
ABUSE OF THE PUBLIC TRUST 273
FEDERAL REGULATIONS: KEYS TO THE KINGDOM WITH A LICENSE TO KILL 274
OPPRESSIVE, UNSCRUPULOUS, AND ABOVE-THE- LAW 274
MEMBER INSITITUTIONS, CCC CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE & BOARD OF GOVERNORS 274
EDUCATION COMMUNITY 275
November 15, 2014 Plenary Session of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges 275
“Student Learning Outcomes and Faculty Evaluations (Approved Nov. 15, 2014) 275
“Accreditation Evaluation Teams and Commission Actions (Approved November 15, 2014) 276
“Faculty Participation on ACCJC External Review Committees (Approved November 14, 2014) 277
“Freedom to Choose (Referred to ASCCC Executive Committee for Consideration) 277
November 17, 2014 Board of Governors Meeting 278
Removal of ACCJC mention in BOG Regulations 278
Selected Testimony Before Board of Governors on Removing ACCJC from Regulations 279
Return of CCSF Trustees to Power 282
Selected Summary Testimony Before the California Community College Board of Governors 283
November 17, 2014 People’s Motion to Amend Complaint 292
November 21, 2014 Memo from Beno to Chief Executive Officers with respect to Team members 293
December 2, 2014 People’s Case Summary 294
A. The ACCJC Engaged In Unlawful Acts And Should Be Found Liable Under The Unlawful" Prong Of The UCL 295
B. The ACCJC Engaged In Unfair Acts And Should Be Found Liable Under The "Unfair" Prong Of The UCL. 295
C. The ACCJC's Accreditation Activities Are Business Practices Within The Meaning Of Section 17200. 296
D. The ACCJC's Attempts To Shield Itself From. Judicial Review And Immunize Its Conduct From Liability Continue To Fail. 296
II. THE COURT CAN AND SHOULD VACATE THE ACCJC'S TAINTED DECISIONS 296
a. City College is Highly Successful At Educating Students 296
b. The ACCJC Exaggerates The Issues At City College. 296
3. The Relief Sought Is Not Mooted By The Restoration Policy. 297
December 2, 2014 ACCJC’s Case Summary 297
2. The ACCJC did not violate the UCL in the Composition of the ACCJC's Evaluation. Team or Show Cause Team. 298
a) Peter Crabtree's presence on the Evaluation Team was not "unlawful" as a violation of either 34 C.F.R. section 602.15(a)(6) or the ACCJC's own policies. 298
d) There is no evidence that the number of academics on either the Evaluation Team or Show Cause Team was "unfair." 298
b) Dr. Beno's conduct as the reader of the Show Cause Report was not unfair to CCSF 298
a) The ACCJC's use of the term "recommendation" was not unlawful or unfair. 298
b) CCSF was afforded every opportunity required by the DOE regulations and ACCJC policies to review and comment on the deficiencies relied upon by the Commission. 298
B. The Remedy Sought by the City Attorney Is Unmanageable and improper. 298
DECEMBER 10, 2014 Oral Arguments in The People vs. ACCJC 299
December 18, 2014 Summary of CFT Complaint Against ACCJC 300
Out of Compliance 301
Inconsistent Decision Making 302
Inconsistent Fiscal Standards 303
Continue to Violate Conflict of Interest Requirements 304
Hearing Panel Bias 304
Appeals Process Violated 307
Chapter 6 Sanctions on Colleges – A Picture of Inconsistent Decisions Before 2014 307
Compton College - DENIAL OF ACCREDITATION (2005) 308
College of the Sequoias – PLACED ON SHOW CAUSE (2013) 311
Diablo Valley College – PLACED ON SHOW CAUSE (2009), REMOVE SHOW CAUSE AND PLACED ON PROBATION (2010), REAFFIRMED ACCREDITATION (2011) 313
Cuesta College – PLACED ON SHOW CAUSE (2012), PLACED ON WARNING (2013) 316
College of the Redwoods - SHOW CAUSE (2012), REMOVE SHOW CAUSE IMPOSE PROBATION 317
Solano Community College – PLACED ON WARNING (2012), PLACED ON PROBATION (2013) 320
Bakersfield College – REAFFIRM ACCREDITATION (2013) 322
Merced College – REMOVE WARNING AND REAFFIRM ACCREDITATION (2013) 323
West Hills College District - ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2011) 323
Los Angeles Mission College – WARNING (2013) 327
Los Angeles Pierce College – ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2013) 330
San Diego Mesa College – ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2011) 331
Fullerton College – REMOVE WARNING AND MOVE TO ACCREDITATION (2012) 331
College of Marin – ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2013) 332
Shasta College – PLACED ON PROBATION (2012) 333
Los Angeles Southwest College – PLACED ON PROBATION (2012), REMOVED FROM PROBATION AND PLACED ON WATCH (2013) 334
Los Angeles Valley College – PLACED ON WARNING (2013) 336
Copper Mountain College – ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2013) 338
Woodland Community College – PLACED ON WARNING (2013) 338
Yuba College – PLACED ON WARNING (2013) 341
Barstow Community College – CONTINUED ON WARNING (2013) 343
Victor Valley College – PLACED ON PROBATION (2012) 344
Gavilan College – ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2013) 345
Ventura County Community Colleges PLACED ON PROBATION (2012), ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2013) 346
Peralta Community College District Colleges – PLACED ON WARNING (2012), WARNING REMOVED AND REAFFIRMED ACCREDITION (2013) 347
Coast Community College District – PLACED ON WARNING (2013) 347
Imperial Valley College – PLACED ON WARNING (2013) 349
College of Marin – REMOVED FROM WARNING (2013) 350
Fresno City College – REMOVED FROM WARNING (2013) 350
Antelope Valley College – Midterm Report (2013) 350
El Camino College – PLACED ON WARNING (2013) 352
Hartnell College – PLACED ON PROBATION (2013) 353
West Los Angeles College – PLACED ON WARNING (2012) , ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMED (2013) 357
Los Angeles Harbor College – REMOVE PROBATION AND REAFFIRM ACCREDITATION (2013) 360
Modesto Junior College – PLACED ON PROBATION (2012) 360
The Lumina Foundation and the ACCJC 361
Conclusion 364
ACCJC Appeals Procedure Manual 368
34 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) – Relevant Sections 373
Index 380