LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC) has received reaffirmation of its accreditation for a 10-year period—the highest re-accreditation status possible— from the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association, which accredits degreegranting colleges and universities in the mid-Atlantic states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and several locations internationally.

The commission’s decision was based on the final Evaluation Team Report, which highlighted LaGuardia’s faculty, student culture and commitment to collaboration, calling it “impressive”. The team also singled out the strong institutional culture of assessment and student learning for praise.

“The energy at LaGuardia is incredible,” said Dr. Stephen M. Curtis, President of the Community College of Philadelphia who led the evaluation team. “LaGuardia evidenced a fully engaged college community, particularly with respect to strategic planning, its focus on students’ success and assessment. All of these traits contribute to a dynamic institution.”

“LaGuardia’s Middle States accreditation process gave us a chance to review every area of the college, from academic programs to administrative practices, so we can continue to expand our legacy as a bold and innovative institution of higher learning,” LAGCC President Dr. Gail O. Mellow said.

The college’s two-year long self-study process was led by LAGCC English Professor Dr. Gordon Tapper, and incorporated the work of nearly 140 faculty, staff and students.

“From the beginning, we strove to make our process of gathering, analyzing and synthesizing information for the Self Study Report a transparent, collaborative project,” explained Tapper.

Additional high marks by the evaluation team were assigned to LaGuardia’s participatory strategic planning process and the institution’s budget process, which was lauded for its transparency, and the College’s Adult and Continuing Education Division which was deemed remarkable in its ability to transition noncredit students into credit-bearing courses.

“Periodic reaccreditation is instrumental in helping us as an institution to take stock of our achievements and face the challenges ahead,” Mellow said. “Our founding President Joseph Shenker’s recipe for a successful re-accreditation process remains timeless: ‘Since the College opened in the fall of 1971, members of the faculty, administration, and student body have joined hands and worked diligently to educate and graduate students who are critical thinkers and socially responsible citizens.’”