Hawaii Tokai College put on accreditation warning status
School officials say they are addressing the areas of concern
The accreditation commission for Hawaii Tokai International College placed the Honolulu-based liberal arts school on a warning status.
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges took the action at its June meeting after an accreditation team found an couple of areas of concern during visit to the high-rise Kapiolani Boulevard campus in February and March.
Warning status is considered the mildest sanction and the school continues to be accredited.
Acting Chancellor Nato Yoshikawa said the college is following up on the concerns of the accrediting team and is preparing a report that will be given to the commission in October.
In its report, the accrediting team noted that the college has gone through several leadership changes since 2000, the last time it underwent a comprehensive evaluation.
It changed its governing structure from two boards overseeing different aspects of the school to a single board; academic programs were restructured; and there have been four chancellors or acting chancellors since 2002.
The accrediting team recommended the school establish written policies and procedures on its governance and regularly evaluate its leadership and decision-making structures.
Hawaii Tokai International College has a little over 100 students, most of whom are from Japan. The school was established in 1992 and specializes in introducing international students to American higher education.