FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2002
CONTACT: Ginger Hall Carnes, Palo Alto College Dir. of Community and Public Relations
gcarnes@accd.edu
Palo Alto College's Accreditation Renewed for 10 Years
Palo Alto College's accreditation was reaffirmed for 10 years by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools (SACS) at its annual meeting in San Antonio on Tuesday.
The 17-year-old college received only
nine recommendations, which the chairman of the visiting committee equated to an "A-plus."
"This acknowledgment affirms
that Palo Alto College provides quality education through its superb faculty and its student-oriented services," said Dr.
Ana M. "Cha" Guzman, who became president of Palo Alto in August 2001.
"Accreditation is the most critical acknowledgment
that a college is doing its job," said Guzman. "It reaffirms that we provide quality instruction and that our degrees have
stature in the academic community. Without accreditation, courses will not transfer and students cannot receive federal
financial aid. The small number of recommendations proves that we are doing a stellar job, and I congratulate all the
employees at Palo Alto College for their dedication toward student success."
SACS has the most stringent requirements of
all the regional accrediting agencies, Guzman said. "This final vote is the result of two years of intensive self-study.
Last March, a committee of peers appointed by SACS interviewed faculty, staff and students and provided recommendations."
Every accredited college and university in the United States goes through a self-study process and a visit by
accrediting officials every ten years.
Palo Alto College is the only college located on the southside of Bexar County and is cited for its successful transfer
rate, with students transferring to universities throughout the nation. The campus also is the home of the Texas A&M
University-Kingsville System Center, which offers junior and senior-level courses in a growing number of disciplines.