The Maricopa County Community College District’s accreditation group has responded to faculty complaints about the schools’ governance.
The original complaint sent by the faculty association cited several decisions made by district leadership that the group believes are improper.
Specifically, allegations that the colleges have failed to follow established procedures about public input and transparency.
The accreditation group, the Higher Learning Commission, responded saying they won’t take action now, but issued a sharp rebuke, saying some board actions have been troubling.
“We’re still in a state of limbo with respect to how faculty and administration come together to try to collaboratively problem-solve, in the district,” said John Schampel, the faculty association president.
Provost Karla Fisher said the HLC letter is a fair response.
“The fact that we’ve had two complaints significantly about the same kind of concept and both times the HLC has cleared us of that, it doesn’t feel as significant as perhaps it does individually,” Fisher said.
The HLC plans to take a closer look at the community college district’s procedures next fall in its evaluation of Gateway College.
EDITOR'S NOTE: KJZZ is licensed to the Maricopa County Community College District.
