Laredo Community College - Accreditation Probation

Accreditation Probation

In 2010, LCC had a three-year graduation rate of 14 percent from students pursuing either associate degrees or completing specialized certificate programs. This 14 percent does not include certain nontraditional students, transfer students, or those taking credits for transfer to four-year institutions but who do not seek associate degrees.

In July 2012, Laredo Community College was placed on twelve months of probation for failure to comply with standards required by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In a document reviewed by KGNS-TV, the NBC affiliate in Laredo, the accrediting body said that LCC had not demonstrated "compliance with comprehensive standards." President Juan Maldonado said that the institution will meet any deficiencies required but that the situation would not impact instructional programs or other operations of the college.

SACS contends that LCC failed to correct deficiencies in its reports on institutional effectiveness. If the deficiencies remain uncorrected, LCC could forfeit its accreditation. Were that to happen, degrees would become meaningless, credits could not be transferred to accredited institutions, and LCC could face further funding decreases. SACS has the option in 2013 of continuing LCC's accreditation but keep the college on probation for an additional year.

LCC is seeking an outside consultant and an editor to convert the existing accreditation data into narrative form. Maldonado said this additional work to comply with SACS should be completed by February 2013.

Vincent Solis, LCC vice president for student services, said that the probationary status is not the cause of the decline in enrollment in the fall of 2012. The accreditation of a campus is what is critical, and the accreditation for LCC remains fully in place," he said.