Last school year, the Institute of Arts and Sciences (AB Political Science and AB History), Institute of Agriculture and Forestry (BS Agriculture and BS Forestry), Institute of Mathematics, Engineering and Applied Technology (BS Agriculture Engineering) and Institute of Entrepreneurial Arts (BSC Management) were accredited. The Institute of Teacher Education was first accredited to Level I during the school year 2005-2006.
According to Dr. Raymund T. Balbin, the executive dean of our school, KASC will have another accreditation visit on December 2007 if not on February 2008 as instructed by Dr. Eduardo T. Bagtang, the College President.
Dr. Balbin stated that Level II re-accreditation status is a status wherein the program subject for accreditation will be have a second survey visit by a team of Accrediting Agency for College and Universities of the Philippines (AACUP). The program will be evaluated with a grand mean of at least 3.5 and not one among the ten areas to be evaluated will get an area mean lower than 3.0.
The Level II Accreditation status of a program will be fully recognized only when it is approved by the AACUP Board and duly certified by the National Network Quality Assurance Agencies, Inc. The Level II re-accreditation is effective for a period of 3-5 years. Thus, a curricular program must be prepared again for the 3rd AACUP survey visit to be evaluated to Level III Re-accreditation. If a curricular program with a Level II reaccredited status is not reassessed within five years for Level III, it will lose its Level II status and will be downgraded to Level I.
The Executive Dean explained the processes that are prescribed in accrediting a course or a curricular program. The process of accreditation involves three phases:
1. First Phase – major activities before the accreditation visit that must be complied with:
a) Holding Consultancies
b) Initiating Processes
c) Preparing for the Basic Requirements
d) Forging an agreement
e) Organizing and supporting the team accreditors
2. Second Phase – activities during the accreditation
a) Assembly/Arrival of external accreditation
b) Cluster/team meeting
c) Courtesy call
d) Opening program
e) Knowing the institution/ program and local counterparts
f) Second team/cluster meeting
g) Preparation of the individual accreditation’s report
h) Preparation of team report
i) Exit conference and closing program
3. Third Phase – activities after the accreditation visit mostly done by the Accrediting Agency (AACUP) who shall be responsible in informing the accredited state university/college about the results of the technical review, AACUP report and submission of the accreditation Report to NNQAA for certification.
According to Dr. Balbin, the priority degree programs for school year 2007-2008 are the following:
a) ITE – Bachelor of Elementary Education and Bachelor of Secondary Education for Level II
b) IAS – Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
c) Graduate School – Master of Arts in Education, Master in Public Administration and Doctor of Philosophy in Education
He also said that the various institutes are preparing for the accreditation. Ever since the accreditation program has been started, the different institutes of the school had continuously worked in satisfying the requirements and criteria for accreditation. They have established their accreditation centers in their own buildings and have deputized their faculty members as task forces to work on their respective areas. Even those who are not scheduled for accreditation are continuously preparing and eventually will ask for accreditation surveys (internal and external).
As we have observe during the last accreditation, our deans and the faculty members have stay late at night and sometimes have reported on Saturdays to work on their respective areas. It is the same now with the upcoming level II accreditation.
Our executive dean presented the beneficiaries of the accreditation.
a) Students – we will have an access to quality curricular program
b) Parents – accreditation helps our parents know which program they will send us to avail of quality education
c) Graduates – those who will graduate from accredited courses will have an edge over other job applicants because employers prefer those who have graduated from institutions of higher learning who have accredited programs.
d) College/Universities – the accreditation programs gives prestige to school with accredited courses because they are recognized as HEI with quality standards and high level educational services.
Our administrators in KASC is aggressively pursuing all efforts in accrediting our courses because they want to satisfy the requirements for the conversion of KALINGA-APAYAO STATE COLLEGE to KALINGA STATE UNIVERSITY.
Accreditation is also a factor in assessing the appointment or transfer of a SUC President. Say for example, a SUC President have not accredited any single curricular program in his four or eight years term; as such, will be a strong factor for his non-re-appointment or transfer.
Lastly, our executive dean wishes to appeal to us students that we must do our part in helping our deans and instructors in accomplishing the documentary requirements of the various areas, cooperating in activities relevant or can somehow contribute to the accreditation, play a vital role in information dissemination about the VMGO of KASC and other relevant information on the four folding functions of KASC. Accreditation is not only for KASC college officials and faculty staff but for students and parents as well as stake holders must be concerned with.
He also said that we should all strengthen our commitments and bear more sacrifices for we and the next generation of KASC students will reap the results of accreditation of the different KASC curriculum programs. We should all rally behind our accreditation program and realize our dream – A KALINGA STATE UNIVERISTY.