Eucon undergoes accreditation review

A Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools team is finishing today its accreditation review of the Eucon International College.

The five-person team arrived Tuesday morning to review the college and assess the basic components of the school in line with the U.S. Department of Education accreditation standards and criteria.

According to Eucon International College president Christian Wei, they applied for accreditation last May 2004. They have passed the first stage of the accreditation process and are now up for “candidacy” status before the full accreditation status.

The visiting team is composed of Carol White, Min-Pen Chen, David Owen, Paul Holritz, and Jeff McCann. McCann, who is the associate executive director of the reviewing team, said this is his second visit to the island. He was here when Eucon applied for accreditation.

After submitting its application for accreditation, Eucon has been involved the past several months in a self-study process and preparations for the team’s visit.

McCann said the visit aims to determine the candidacy of the college for a pre-accredited status. “They’re actually on their second stage of the process. The first stage was applicant status, then candidacy then eventually the full accreditation status.”

He said that, if Eucon is granted the “candidacy” status in November, this would provide the school five years within which to gain full accreditation status. First, though, the college would have to demonstrate basic compliance with standards and must meet the criteria for full accreditation.

Once the status of candidacy is given to Eucon, said McCann, they could apply for Title IV federal financial aid from U.S. Department of Education.

Also, he said Eucon’s name would be included in the Education Department’s database for schools and colleges that meet and comply with standards and criteria.

One of the advantages of accreditation for Eucon would be academic credibility, said McCann, and he said the college is making progress toward accreditation.

“For full accreditation they should demonstrate substantial compliance,” he said referring to certain standards the college have to meet.

McCann said the criteria or the key areas for full accreditation deal with the governing board of the school, administration, academic programs, the faculty, library, finances and planning and assessment.

TRACS is an approved accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education, said McCann, adding that the reviewing agency is also approved by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation, making TRACS a nationally recognized accrediting agency that meets the same standards like the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

McCann said the team had accredited schools on Guam and in Taipei, Taiwan.

The reviewing team is leaving the island today for Tennessee then to North Carolina for another accreditation review.