Kennedy-King College has participated in the NCA accreditation review process since 1996. President Wayne Watson headed the effort that resulted in a college-wide institutional self-study that focused on assessing the foundations for greater effectiveness throughout the college. The three-year process had given the college the opportunity to examine closely all aspects of college activity and to set priorities for the future. Concluding the self-study, the college determined it was prepared to face the educational demands of the twenty-first century, which includes preparing students to become responsible leaders. The college received ten years’ accreditation from North Central Association (NCA).

Since that time, KKC has reexamined the major priorities that were previously set forth. Across the college, representatives developed strategic planning tools to design, implement and monitor curricula, programs, and services. This comprehensive strategy has helped to improve quality of programs and customer service. Working together with sister colleges and the city college district office, KKC has successfully integrated strategic planning and set uniform core strategies that are aligned with District goals, resulting in increased coordination of resources. As a result of these major steps, with faculty support and with guidance from the KKC Administration, the college is now positioned to increase its capacity to develop more sustainable partnerships, increase fundraising efforts, build more fruitful relationships that benefit residents and business owners in the college’s service area, and provide more comprehensive services to students. Literally, the college’s aim over the next decade is to grow to be a major conduit of empowerment for the communities it serves.

In 2003, under the leadership of President Clyde El-Amin, the College began organizing self-study activities to prepare for the 2006 NCA team visit. The team visit is a key evaluation activity whereby a delegation of experts, appointed by NCA, examines the inner workings of the college. After the formal evaluation, if the college satisfies specified criteria, NCA will confirm the aptness of the college to deliver quality education and services with the designation of a 10 years’ continued accreditation status. Presently, KKC is intensifying efforts and expanding participation from members of the college faculty, administration, staff, students, and community stakeholders to implement the most comprehensive and thought provoking self study program to date. In 2006, the college will not only seek to receive ten years’ continuous accreditation by NCA, but will also develop a plan for achieving continuous quality improvement throughout the college.

Participation in the 2004-2006 self-study initiative is broader in scope than in the past. The established workgroups for the initiative have been divided into one steering committee and five subcommittees. Self-study activities include participation from representatives in every department across the campus. Currently, staff, student organizations, and community residents share a role in leading many of the activities during the initiative. Although the initiative is faculty driven, it is well understood that in order to successfully plan for the future, the college cannot afford to discount the contributions of all KKC stakeholders.

Over the next two years, the college will examine processes, quality of instruction, status of fiscal operations, effectiveness of the college’s ability to govern effectively, and many other issues to determine its effectiveness as an institution. Recommendations and input gathered during the initiative will be incorporated in a major self-study report that will be submitted to NCA.

Undergirding the initiative, the self-study committee has integrated several technological features that will prove beneficial throughout the initiative. First, faculty, staff, and students will be able to access the KKC self-study web site, the centralized tool for accessing all information and tools needed during the initiative. Second, a database comprised of surveys, feedback from focus groups, and reaction statements will be recorded and stored into a virtual reading room that can be accessed via secured internet on the web site. This along with the official archive of data located on campus will assist the college in developing a blueprint for monitoring our achievement over the next decade.