Peralta Community College District

ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Peralta Community,

We are writing to provide an accreditation update for Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College (the Colleges).

Following review of the Special Reports and the subsequent Fiscal Monitoring Site Visits of all four Colleges and the District, the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) has decided to defer action until June 2021, after review of each College’s Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER), completion of the Colleges’ site visits with Peer Review Team Reports, and review of the latest District audit report. The College Presidents received notification letters from the Commission on Monday morning, February 1, 2021, after meeting with Interim Chancellor Dr. Carla Walter and Dr. Stephanie Droker, ACCJC President.

Back in January 2020, the ACCJC placed the four fully accredited Colleges on probation and requested special reports in November 2020 requiring the Colleges to address concerns about the District’s finances among other issues. During the December 2020 Fiscal Monitoring Site Visits, team members met with various stakeholders at the Colleges and District. The ACCJC considered the Peralta Colleges’ Fiscal Monitoring Special Reports and Fiscal Monitoring Site Visit Peer Review Team Reports at their January 2021 meeting.

Per the Commission Action Letter received by each College, the Commission deferred action until after the planned virtual Comprehensive Review Site Visits (which were already scheduled for early March 2021). While we were hoping to hear that the probationary status had been rescinded, this is still good news. The four Colleges remain fully accredited.

We want to reiterate that each College submitted very strong Special Reports in November 2020 and comprehensive Institutional Self Evaluation Reports (ISERs) in December 2020. Our gratitude to everyone at the Colleges and the District office who contributed to those strong reports.

We remain confident that the Colleges are on the right path to remove any concerns about accreditation, and as we prepare for the site visits March 1 – 4, 2021, we are confident that each College will meet the standards of accreditation. 

Thank you and be safe,