Huntington Beach, Calif.,–Golden West College (GWC) has been awarded a Reaffirmation of Accreditation for a seven-year period—the highest level of accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
In a letter dated June 28, ACCJC reaffirmed GWC’s accreditation through 2026—after an extensive on-site visit from an external evaluation team earlier this spring,
“Our mission is to provide affordable, high-quality education,” said GWC President Tim McGrath, “and this reaffirmation means that we will be able to continue to serve our community for many years to come.”
ACCJC commended GWC for exemplary performance and practices that exceeded national standards in three key areas.
- Advancing its mission through partnerships focused on local community values and culture and for authentically impacting the lives of students and their families
- Its emphasis on a student-centered, equity-focused campus culture, including innovative practices to meet the needs of its diverse student population
- GWC’s grounds, custodial, and maintenance teams for the extraordinary appearance of the campus
“It is because of the focus and dedication of GWC faculty, staff and administrators,” said McGrath, “that we have earned this impressive accolade.”
Accreditation is the accepted process for assuring the public that a higher education institution meets established standards of quality and provides degrees, certificates, and/or credits that students and the community can trust. The granting of accreditation by a regional accreditor commission enables an institution to qualify for federal grants and contracts, and to distribute federal financial aid to its students. California community colleges voluntarily seek accreditation every seven years.
ACCJC of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges is the institutional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.
A copy of the ACCJC Action Letter is available at:
http://research.gwchb.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ACCJC-Reaffirmation-Letter-June-28-2019.pdf
The full ACCJC External Peer Review Report is available at:
