The excitement still rang in Dean Hollenbeck’s voice on Tuesday. The day before, a whirlwind trip to Chicago had given him what he most wanted.
Accreditation. Signed, sealed and delivered.
“It’s good. It’s exciting,” said Hollenbeck, the president of Flint Hills Technical College. “The best thing about it is it’s good for our students. It gives all our faculty and our programs and what we’re doing out here that legitimacy — that we have good things going on out here.”
A visiting team from the Higher Learning Commission had recommended accrediting the college last October. On Monday, the commission confirmed the recommendation after an hour-long discussion with Hollenbeck, instructional services dean Steve Loewen and instructor Peggy Torrens.
The stamp of approval means that students will be able to transfer class credits more easily between the technical college and the state’s public universities.
The technical college has been working toward this since 2003, shortly after it separated from the Emporia school district. During that time, it was accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.
This, however, lets the college move in a higher circle.
“It says the quality here is the same as the quality at any four-year university,” Loewen said after the October visit.
Emporia State University also holds HLC accreditation.
At Monday’s hearing in Chicago, Hollenbeck said, the commission asked several general questions about the college: its direction, its online program, its faculty credentials and more. Then after 45 minutes of closed-door deliberations, the word came back.
“They smiled at us and said ‘You did a great job,’” Hollenbeck said.
The Hcommission certifies community colleges and four-year institutions in a 19-state region.
The accreditation is good for five years. If the school passes again in 2012, that next approval will be for 10 years.
But for now, it’s time to celebrate.
“Chicago was a great success,” Hollenbeck said. “We did great up there.”