Big Bend gets glowing report

MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College received six commendations and only two recommendations after a visit by an accreditation team, made up of community college administrators, professors and personnel from Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Commendations are given for things the college is doing well, while recommendations are given in areas where the college needs improvement.

"Accreditation teams do not give commendations for simply meeting a standard, they give commendations for excellence," said BBCC President Terry Leas.

The eight-person team who visited the campus reviewed their findings with college officials, called an exit interview.

The college received commendations for its culture of inquiry and evidence, a high level of commitment to students and sensitivity to their needs.

The college also was commended for its spirit of collaboration and its use of grants and outside funding, the trustees' commitment to the college and budget and faculty planning.

The study team recommended that college officials document efforts to improve student learning, in line with systematic assessment.

The second recommendation was to make sure the college's core principles and mission statement were in alignment.

"Exit interviews are full of suspense because the college waits in anticipation to recommendations that must be addressed to meet NWCCU accreditation standards," wrote Doug Sly, the college's communication director. "Instead, the college heard praise in six commendations, affirmation by their peers that BBCC is a place of excellence in teaching and learning."

"People outside the college should understand how important this is, and what it says about the college," said former BBCC president Bill Bonaudi, who retired in June.

Accreditation is a voluntary process, Sly said, but lack of accreditation has an impact on a college's ability to transfer its credits to other colleges, and to distribute federal financial aid.

College officials do a self-study as part of the process, a study that can take years, Sly said.

"If you do a self-study, you should know what the recommendations will be months before the visit," said Bob Mohrbacher, the college's vice-president of instruction and student services.