FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCC’S ACCREDITATION OFFICIALLY REAFFIRMED

DANVILLE, VA, Dec. 14, 2006 – Danville Community College’s reaffirmation of accreditation was officially approved by the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) during the 111^th Annual Meeting held in Kissimee, FL. Accreditation ensures that other accredited institutions recognize the value of the credits students earn at DCC. It is a process that happens every 10 years.

Dr. B. Carlyle Ramsey, DCC President, said although DCC had earlier received notice that the college would receive its re-accreditation at the Florida meeting, nothing is final until the full Commission meets and records its votes.  

“There was an expectation that Danville Community College’s accreditation would be reaffirmed because the college has always enjoyed a solid reputation; however, nothing is assumed automatically,” Ramsey said. “We have worked very hard to fulfill our mission and the accreditation process indicates that we are doing so.”

He added DCC has been continuously accredited since the college’s establishment, but stressed that the college family has put in a lot of time, effort and planning during the last three years to ensure that the college maintains accreditation.

Dr. Chris Ezell, Vice President of Academic and Student Services, agrees that the accreditation process is essential and says it is common for colleges and universities to start two or three years in advance preparing for the process which takes place every 10 years.

“The reaffirmation of DCC’s accreditation is very important for the college to be a quality institution and to ensure the integrity of the students’ degrees in both the occupational and transfer areas,” said Ezell. “Both employers and transfer institutions review the accreditation of DCC when students apply for jobs or transfer to four-year colleges or universities.”

He said that by completing Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ “rigorous standards” for re-accreditation, it is a “crowning achievement” for DCC which symbolizes all of the hard work the faculty and staff have put into the process.

Ezell explained that the accreditation process consists of two aspects: (1) ensuring that compliance standards are fulfilled and (2) developing a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The Compliance Certification document demonstrates the college’s judgment of the extent of its compliance with each of the Core Requirements, Comprehensive Standards, and Federal Regulations as presented in the Principles of Accreditation. The QEP must engage the entire campus and address one or more issues that contribute to institutional improvement. DCC’s plan is entitled “Enhancing Student Learning and Success,” and focuses on the first-year experience and the support and resources students need to succeed.

Dr. Janet Laughlin, Director of the Student Success Center, said the QEP examines four areas: (1) Enhanced Assessment, which enable students to better evaluate their strengths and weaknesses when they enter the college; (2) College Success Skills, a course to prepare first-year students with some basic skills; (3) Academic and Student Support, which includes services to ensure student success, such as free tutoring, study groups, and workshops on topics of interest; and (4) Faculty and Staff Development, which provides opportunities for professional development and seminars, conferences, workshops and guest speakers.

According to Ramsey, DCC’s QEP was well received by the SACS On-Site Committee when the committee visited the campus in October 2005.

 “I want to commend the excellent work of  faculty, staff, administrators and students, as well as the solid support from the College Board and Educational Foundation Board. We all celebrate this important accomplishment.”

In addition to Ramsey, Ezell, and Laughlin, Dr. Sherri Huffman, Director of Planning, Effectiveness and Research, also attended the meeting. For more information about the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, contact: 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033, telephone, 404.679.4500, website, http://www.sacscoc.org/. For information about DCC, contact 434.797.2222 or click here.