The board that governs Moorpark College and its two sister colleges is scheduled to draft and adopt a plan on Wednesday to address the issues that landed them on probation with the state’s college accrediting commission.

The Board of Trustees must draft a plan to address the issues and the colleges must return a report to the accrediting commission by March 15, or face loss of accreditation, the transferability of college units and student eligibility for financial aid.

But Moorpark College President Pam Eddinger told staff and faculty at a Feb. 15 town hall meeting that even though the probation status is a serious situation, Moorpark College and the other two colleges are “operating okay” and will not lose accreditation.

“I could promise you we will not get to that point,” said Eddinger. 

The Feb. 22 Board of Trustees meeting comes just three weeks after Eddinger received a letter from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College notifying her that the college was being placed on probation. According to the letter, the commission imposed the probationary status because of concerns over issues pertaining to the Board of Trustees.

Those concerns outline seven recommendations to correct the Board’s policies and behavior on matters concerning planning, communication with the colleges, policy and decision making and professional development.

The colleges, along with the District Administration, must provide solid feedback proving they are working toward solving these recommendations by March 15.

During the study session at the special meeting Wednesday, the Board will review the commission’s reasons for placing the three colleges on probation. At the close of the study session, the trustees are scheduled to adopt “Corrective Actions and Timelines to Comply with the Commission Findings.”

The Board meets at the District offices at 255 W. Stanley Ave. in Ventura. For more information on the agenda, go to www.vcccd.edu. For more information on the action by the ACCJC, go to accjc.org.