Kendall College Receives Reaffirmation of Accreditation from The Higher Learning Commission and ACFEFAC
Kendall Collegeannounced in August that itsaccreditation has been reaffirmed by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for 10 years—the maximum amount of time allowed. In addition, Kendall’s School of Culinary Arts’A.A.S. in Baking and Pastry and A.A.S. in Culinary Arts programs’ accreditations from the AmericanCulinaryFederationEducationFoundation’sAccrediting Commission (ACFEFAC) have been renewed and awarded “exemplary” status. Exemplary status means programs meet the highest possible educational standards recognized by the ACFEFAC.
“HLC’s reaffirmation of our accreditation for 10 years is an endorsement of the quality, reputation and student-centeredness of our programs,” says Emily Williams Knight, president of Kendall College. “In commenting on the strengths of our programs, the HLC team noted, ‘the staff, leadership, advisory and executive board shared a consistent passion for how Kendall is focused on being a student centric organization.’ The team also noted that ‘since the last HLC visit in 2004, Kendall College has made significant—and in some cases exemplary—progress with its institutional and learning assessment processes.’”
The HLC accredits degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States. It is one of six regional accrediting associations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The HLC was created to develop and maintain high standards of academic excellence. Receiving HLC accreditation means an institution meets recognized standards of education regarding its mission, governance, financial stability, teaching and learning, and relations with its constituents, as well as federal compliance requirements.
In addition to receiving HLC reaffirmation, Kendall’s two School of Culinary Arts programs’ accreditations from ACFEFAC demonstrate that these individual programs meet nationally recognized standards of quality and prepare students for success in the field. “The ACFEFAC team described our faculty as ‘extremely dedicated to the success of each and every student,’” says Williams Knight. “They also pointed out that ‘graduates who were interviewed were extremely enthusiastic about the education and career opportunities they received.’ The team did have one recommendation: that we leverage the incredible talents of our baking and pastry students by opening a retail outlet within the college community. We explained that our plan is to do just that in January 2014.”
ACFEFAC accreditation is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation and assures that a program meets standards and competencies set for faculty, curriculum and student services.