Published September 9, 2020
Last week, Dodge City Community College (DC3) was notified by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) that a decision will be made in early November regarding the status of the college’s accreditation.
“As part of its usual accreditation cycle, DC3 prepared for a comprehensive quality review conducted by the HLC in the spring of 2018,” Dr. Jane Holwerda, DC3 Vice President of Academic Affairs, said. “And in November 2018, the HLC reaffirmed accreditation for DC3, but also noted areas of concern. They also placed DC3 ‘on notice’ and scheduled a follow-up review of these areas.”
In April 2020, Holwerda said DC3 hosted an HLC team to review clear improvements, which included greatly improved financial control, new and vigorous workforce programs to propel enrollment, a faculty qualifications policy to assure instructional quality, an updating of the college’s student information system, and an adoption of a vigorous mission, vision, values and strategic plan.
“By all accounts, the HLC team was impressed with DC3’s improvements and quality assurances,” she said. “Through this accreditation cycle, the college has set and met several benchmarks to improve our alignment with HLC standards and to assure quality teaching and learning.”
DC3 President Dr. Harold E. Nolte said the college is looking forward to HLC’s formal announcement in November.
“As a result of going through this accreditation process, our college has been revitalized for future service to our students, to our greater community, and to all of our stakeholders,” he said. “Our overall goal has always been to meet our students and community where they are. In order to do that, we sometimes have to make changes. And this accreditation process has been a catalyst for some of those changes.”
By Lance ZieschDC3 Media Specialist