Pre-accreditation Candidacy Enables California Indian Nations College Enables College to Develop Culturally Responsive Academic and Vocational Programs and Degrees
PALM DESERT — California Indian Nations College was granted candidacy/pre-accreditation status at the Jan, 8-9 Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges meeting, according to the ACCJC Accreditation Handbook:
The Commission only grants candidacy status to eligible institutions that are likely to successfully obtain initial accreditation and sustain compliance with Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, and Commission policies. ACCJC’s rigorous application process involves a comprehensive self-evaluation, site visit, and preparation of a Teach-Out Plan… All credits and degrees earned and issued by an institution or program holding candidacy status are considered by the U.S. Department of Education to be from an accredited institution or program.
Candidacy for accreditation is an historic step in a state that is home to one-fifth of all federally recognized Tribes plus many more unrecognized Tribes. According to the latest census data, approximately 1.4 million Californians identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with another ethnic group. Yet California has not had an accredited tribal college or university in decades, despite the overwhelming need. CINC was granted Eligibility to Apply for Candidacy in May 2023 and submitted the self-evaluation as part of the Application for Candidacy in Summer 2024, followed by a site visit on October 7-8, 2024. During the visit, the peer review team evaluated CINC for compliance with ACCJC and the Department of Education standards and policies.
According to the latest census data, approximately 1.4 million Californians identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with another ethnic group. Yet California has not had an accredited tribal college or university in decades, despite the overwhelming need. CINC was granted Eligibility to Apply for Candidacy in May 2023 and submitted the self-evaluation as part of the Application for Candidacy in Summer 2024, followed by a site visit on October 7-8, 2024. During the visit, the peer review team evaluated CINC for compliance with ACCJC and the Department of Education standards and policies.
In a statement, CINC President & CEO, Celeste R. Townsend (Guidutikad Paiute, Fort Bidwell Indian Community said, “CINC was created for local and tribal communities to empower students with solid steppingstones for their future. Having an accredited tribal college in the State of California has been a lifelong dream for many; and we are beyond blessed to reach this stage. This was only possible because Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians believed in us…in the CINC mission. They chartered CINC and trusted our devotion toward the establishment of a higher learning institution; and they blessed us with nine million dollars to get the college started.”
The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians chartered CINC in 2017 and the College first offered classes in partnership with the University of California, Riverside University Extension in Fall 2018. Starting in Spring 2019, CINC entered into an MOA with College of the Desert to offer accredited classes through dual enrollment. In addition to the $9 million in seed money from the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, the State of California provided one-time funding of $5 million in Fall of 2022 to assist CINC in reaching accreditation. Although a public institution that serves California Native and non-Native students, CINC does not currently receive ongoing state or federal funding. Candidacy will enable CINC to further develop culturally responsive academic and vocational programs and degrees that support its unique mission and the needs of the communities it serves.
The Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER), Team Report, the Teach-Out Plan, and January 21, 2025 letter are available on the CINC website. For more information, please visit https://accjc.org/
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- California Indian Nations College Earns Pre-accreditation: California Indian Nations College