After a two-day site visit and a comprehensive review, an evaluation team for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools has recommended that Leech Lake Tribal College receive reaccreditation for the maximum 10-year period.
The team's preliminary report was delivered to LLTC staff and faculty Wednesday, following an intensive examination of the college's curriculum, finances, strategic planning, assessment and other processes. The announcement also included a recommendation to fully accredit the college's newest degree program, an Associate of Science degree in natural science.
This recommendation is the first step in a process that will span about six months, culminating in a decision by the Higher Learning Commission's Institutional Actions Council, which will then be validated by the commission's board of trustees.
"Our first commitment is to our students and to upholding the College's mission of providing quality higher education grounded in Anishinaabe values," LLTC President Ginny Carney said in a press release. "We are grateful to all our constituents - students, faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) Tribal Council and community members - for working together to ensure that (LLTC) continues to meet the Higher Learning Commission's standards for maintaining our accreditation status."
The evaluation team commended LLTC for its ability to adhere to and successfully carry out its unique mission. It will require LLTC to submit monitoring reports in three years regarding assessment and institutional effectiveness to ensure continued improvement in those areas.
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The complete final report will be available to the public on the LLTC website once it has been completed and formally approved by the Higher Learning Commission.
Now entering its 20th year, LLTC reported its highest student enrollment ever with approximately 267 students enrolled this semester.
LLTC last received accreditation for five years in 2006. In Minnesota, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet, Minn., and White Earth Tribal and Community College in Mahnomen are accredited colleges. Red Lake Tribal College in Red Lake is not yet accredited.
