Congratulating Moorpark College for its dedication to students and the values of the community, the accreditation team finished their visit with a final report delivered by accreditation team chair Dr. Kathleen F. Burke, President of Los Angeles Pierce College.

“The team was very impressed with the College’s esprit de corps and its shared commitment to its stated students first philosophy,” Burke said. “Your students feel supported and it shows. And I think there can be no higher compliment.”

Every six years Moorpark College is evaluated by representatives from the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges to make sure it’s meeting the required educational standards. Schools that fall below those standards can have their accreditation and funding revoked.

During their visit, the accreditation team talked to over 230 students, staff, faculty and administrators. They also attended two college committee meetings, and held two public forums.

Burke acknowledged and complimented the design and execution of the student support services programs; highlighting the outreach efforts linking the college to the community, the one-stop veteran center and the Guided Pathways to Success program for new students.

The report celebrated what the college has done well and acknowledged the ethics and values at Moorpark, according to Executive Vice President of the Office of Student Learning Julius Sokenu.

“From whatever perspective you look at it, it’s a congratulation to the college, that we’re doing a good job and our community should be proud,” Sokenu said. “We are providing students with a quality education. We value their success and we create an environment that nurtures that.”

Burke spoke of how the team noted the maturity of the integrated planning and resource allocation processes, as well as the robust and inclusive dialogue during the annual program review process.

The team also acknowledged the effort the college community engaged in to receive the 2016 Higher Education Champion for Excellence in Transfer award from the Campaign for College Opportunity for the development of the associate degree transfer.

Aside from the congratulations, there were a few recommendations for improvement such as having a documented assessment process comparing course outlines to desired outcomes and applying a long term fiscal view of day-to-day decisions about spending resources.

The accreditation process provides an opportunity for the college to reflect on its goals and values, as well as the efforts made to achieve them, according to Sokenu.

“It really does capture the hard work that this college has put into its planning,” Sokenu said. “It shows what we’re doing well, areas that we need improvement, and it sets us on a course for the next three to six years at the college.”