Kaua‘i Community College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, 428 J Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814, (415) 506-0234, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information about accreditation, including the filing of complaints against member institutions, can be found at: www.accjc.org.
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Third-Party Comments
Third Party Comments
As part of the re-accreditation process, ACCJC is requesting Third Party Comments. Comments can be submitted by the Kauaʻi Community College campus community and general public. All third-party comments will be reviewed by ACCJC to assess their applicability to Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, and/or Policies. Applicable third-party comments will become part of ACCJC’s review of Kauaʻi Community College and will be shared with the College. You are invited to submit third-party comments by June 30, 2025.
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- ACCJC Third Party Comments online submission form
- For submission by mail, please use the following address: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, 428 J Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814
Substantive Change Approvals
- Accounting, Hospitality and Tourism, GIS, and Plant Biology and Tropical Agriculture
- Automotive Technology: Green Technology - Certificate of Achievement.
- Automotive Technology: Non-structural Analysis and Damage Repair - Certificate of Achievement
- Carpentry Technology: Change in Credits (AAS: 67 to 66 credits hours and CA: 54 to 51 credits hours)
- Carpentry Technology and Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology: New Certificate of Competence (CO)
- Creative Media: New Certificates of Competence: Animation, Event Technology, Graphic Arts, Music Production, Photography, Video Production, Website Technology
- Creative Media: Terminated Certificate of Competence: Animation, Digital Photography, Digital Video, Event Technology, Graphic Arts/Design, Music Production, Web Design
- Creative Media: New Certificate of Achievement: Animation, Graphics, and Website Design Certificate of Achievement (24 credits hours), Event Technology, Music, Photography, and Video Certificate of Achievement (24 credit hours)
- Distance Education: Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Associate of Science in Business.
- Early Childhood Education and Hawaiian Studies: More than 50% of courses offered as distance education
- Early Childhood Education: New Practitioner I Certificate
- Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology: Change in credits (EIMT CO: 15 to 18 and Solar Energy Technology Technician: 14 to 15)
- Facilities Engineering Technology: Stop-out two Certificates of Competence (CO)
- Hawaiian Studies: Associate of Arts in Hawaiian Studies
- Hawaiian Studies: Ho'okele (Polynesian Voyaging) - Academic Subject Certificate: Change in credits from 20 to 18
- Hospitality & Tourism: Hospitality Management changed from Certificate of Competence (18 credits hours) to Certificate of Achievement (24 credits hours)
- Mālama ʻĀina Academic Subject Certificate: decrease from 25 to 22/23 credit hours
- Math: Academic Subject Certificate: change in total credit hours
- Natural Science: More than 50% of courses offered as distance education
- Natural Science: (Environmental Science Concentration) - 60 Credit hours
- Natural Science (Physical Science Concentration): Credit hour change from 60 to 61-64
- Nursing: Change in Credits (AS: 70 to 73 credit hours)
- Plant Biology and Tropical Agriculture: Certificate of Competence (CO) Changing in Credit 15 to 16
- Plant Biology and Tropical Agriculture: Certificate of Competence (CO) Change in Credits: 16 to 17
- Visual Arts: New Academic Subjective Certificate
- 50% Distance Education Approval
ACCJC Accreditation Documents
Note: Supporting evidence may be requested from the Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) at vabarko@hawaii.edu
Third Party Comments
A third-party comment may be submitted to the Commission at any time as it relates to the compliance of a member institution with Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, or Commission policies.
Individuals who wish to make comments on the institutions that are undergoing review in the current semester and that are being considered by the Commission at its next meeting, should use the Third Party Comments Form and be sure to include their name, address, phone number, and email address.
ACCJC Complaint Process
Students and members of the public who desire to file a formal complaint related to noncompliance with accreditation standards may contact the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) directly. The commission can be contacted at: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; 10 Commercial Boulevard, Suite 204; Novato, CA 94949; Telephone: (415) 506- 0234; Fax: (415) 506-0238.
Individuals who wish to file a formal complaint to the Commission about the ACCJC should become familiar with the requirements for doing so prior to contacting the Commission.
Program Accreditation
The Automotive Technology program at Kaua'i Community College is proud to have received Master Accreditation in all eight areas in Automobile Service Technology by the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Education Foundation. KCC Automotive Technology program is a competency based program following the standards specified by ASE to prepare students to become entry-level technicians. Specific tasks in Engine Repair, Automatic Transmission/Transalxe, Manual Drive Train and Axles, Suspension and Steering, Brakes, Electrical/Electronic Systems, Heating and Air Conditioning, and Engine Performance make up the total of 439 ASE tasks that are completed while in the program. The ASE Education Foundation Commission may be reached by mail at: 1503 Edwards Ferry Rd., N.E., Suite 401, Leesburg, VA 20176, email (info@ASEeducationFoundation.org), telephone ( 703-669-6650), or online at ASE Education Foundation. The last accreditation self study can be viewed by contacting the automotive technology program coordinator.
Culinary Program Accreditation The Kaua‘i Community College Culinary Arts program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission. This commission may be reached by contacting Candice Childers at (904) 484-0220 or by email to cchilders@acfchefs.net. The American Culinary Federation Foundation Accrediting Commission reaffirmed accreditation of the Culinary Arts AAS degree program in 2022.
The Associate Degree Career Ladder Nursing Program at University of Hawai‘i- Kaua‘i Community College located in Lihue, Hawai‘i is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). This commission may be reached by mail at: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 3390 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326; by internet at: http://www.acenursing.org or by phone at (404) 975-5000. The last accreditation self study can be viewed by contacting the nursing program director. The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Degree nursing program is Continuing Accreditation and the the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program may be viewed at https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs
Medical Assisting program The Medical Assisting program at Kaua'i Community College received initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in 2018. This commission can be reached by mail at: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775; by internet at: www.caahep.org; by email at : mail@caahep.org; or by telephone at: 722-210-2350.