August 30, 2018
Christina Jimenez
T 916.322.4004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An executive order signed this week by California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley will grant Compton College full independence next year now that it has cleared every accreditation hurdle needed to regain its autonomy.
“Compton College’s story is truly one of redemption,” Oakley said. “Compton has initiated a number of reforms that are resulting in clean financial audits and a significant increase in the number of students earning degrees and certificates as it works to advance the goals of our Vision for Success.” Compton College will officially become an independent campus under the authority of the Compton Community College District’s Board of Trustees on June 7, 2019.
A special trustee was appointed to oversee Compton College – one of the first two-year institutions in California – after it lost its accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) in 2005 because of financial mismanagement and administrative failure. The state Legislature followed suit by relieving the board of trustees of its power, rendering Compton College a satellite campus of the El Camino Community College District in neighboring Torrance.
However, solid management and a series of reforms have improved student performance and the college’s fortunes. The ACCJC granted initial accreditation to Compton College on June 7, 2017, and last week the commission approved transferring local control of Compton College from the El Camino Community College District to the Compton Community College District.
“The Compton District Board of Trustees celebrates this important milestone, and we are extremely excited about the progress that Compton College and the Compton Community College District Board of Trustees have made over the years,” said Nicole J. Jones, president of the Compton Community College District’s Board of Trustees.
Jones and others hold particular praise for Compton Community College District Chief Executive Officer and Compton College President Dr. Keith Curry for the college’s work to ensure educational quality and support for student success. Curry was provost under the El Camino leadership prior to Compton College achieving initial accreditation from the ACCJC.
“This is truly a historic moment for the Compton Community College District as the final step in the accreditation process has been approved by the ACCJC,” Curry said. “Our original goal since 2006 was to provide quality educational programs and services for student success while working to have once again an independent and accredited college. Thank you to El Camino College, local and federal officials, the community, and most importantly, the students we serve.”
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 115 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success , a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges web site or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
