UH 2-year campuses
improving, panel finds

The accrediting body for the University of Hawaii community colleges added Hawaii Community College to a warning status but removed the warning from four other schools after a visit in April.

A warning is the mildest sanction issued by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Accreditation continues during the warning period.

Two other campuses -- Windward Community College and Honolulu Community College -- remain on warning status.

Removed from warning status are Kapiolani, Kauai, Leeward and Maui community colleges.

The commission put six UH community colleges on warning status in January over concerns about program review, governance and budgeting at both the system and community college level.

Mike Rota, associate vice president for academic affairs of the UH system, said the commission has concerns about the ability of the colleges to evaluate themselves and make changes necessary to improve the quality of programs offered.

Since January the colleges and the university system have submitted progress reports, followed by a visit in April.

The university has also reorganized the community college system by creating an Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges, which will oversee policy-making and the distribution of resources, and the development of support services for the seven community colleges.

Rota said the Board of Regents is expected to confirm an interim vice president at its meeting this month.

Interim UH President David McClain said he expects the accrediting body will react favorably to the community college reorganization.

The action reverses a 2002 reorganization under former UH President Evan Dobelle that eliminated the office of the senior vice president and chancellor of community colleges and prompted a review of community college governance by the commission.

The commission is asking the community colleges for a progress report by Oct. 15, followed by another visit.