Posted: March 2, 2017

Tags: 2017, press release

Cuesta College continues to embark on quality improvement measures. Recently, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) notified the college that its October 2016 Follow-Up Report to the ACCJC was accepted and the institution’s accreditation has been reaffirmed. In February of 2015, the ACCJC reaffirmed Cuesta College’s accreditation for a six-year period while requesting the college ensure that distance education courses are of the same quality as face-to-face courses. The college was directed to submit a follow up report to the ACCJC in October 2016 to address the single recommendation.

“I am extremely proud that the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges recognizes Cuesta College's dedication to continuous quality improvement in the work of our faculty, staff, administration, and the Board of Trustees,” said Cuesta College Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Academic Affairs and Accreditation Liaison Officer Dr. Deborah Wulff. “The college recognizes accreditation is ongoing and has implemented strategies and processes to continually address and meet the commission’s standards. Cuesta College continues its commitment to excellent education and innovative programs that allow our students to achieve their goals.”

Cuesta College offers hundreds of distance education courses. Each semester, approximately 2,500 students enroll in online courses, equating to 20 percent of the college’s total enrollment.

The next accreditation report due from Cuesta College is the Midterm Report in the fall of 2017.

Accreditation is the primary means that educational institutions assure and improve quality. California community colleges must apply to the ACCJC, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. The process focuses on self-evaluation, peer review and quality improvement. Institutions are either reaffirmed or placed on sanction, which include four levels: warning, probation, show cause and termination of accreditation.

Visit the official Cuesta College accreditation webpage for more information.