This October, SBVC completed a series of virtual accreditation visits, a process that only happens every seven years. This comprehensive review by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College (ACCJC) evaluates the campus to ensure it is providing exceptional education, promoting effectiveness, and continuously improving its processes. The ACCJC accreditation process provides assurance to the public that the accredited member colleges meet its set of standards.  
 
SBVC began preparing for this process back in fall of 2018, finalizing its Accreditation Standard chairs and membership committee composed of administration, faculty, classified staff, and students. Over the course of the 2018-2019 academic year, the committee visited collegial consultation committees, sought community input in numerous forums, and reviewed its campus standards. The subsequent research and feedback was used to create an Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER), a publication detailing how SBVC meets the various accreditation standards and requirements.   
 
The Accreditation Site Team reviewed this document before joining the campus virtually for a series of open forums, divisional interviews, and departmental meetings. The online discussions allowed SBVC to highlight program successes, showcase campus accomplishments, and demonstrate how its processes and operations meets accreditation standards. Due to the global pandemic and necessary campus closure, the team of 10 evaluators observed campus activities and procedures through online platforms and virtual meetings. In a final interview with campus faculty and staff, the visiting site team congratulated SBVC campus members on their hard work leading up to the final review, and expressed their impression with the quality of faculty, staff, and community engagement during their visits. They also provided a brief non-official overview of areas the institution can improve. The final evaluation and official accreditation report of the campus will be received in January 2021, whereby SBVC aims to reaffirm its accreditation and continue providing a quality education to its students.   
 
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC) accredits community colleges and other associate degree granting institutions in the Western region of the U.S. The ACCJC is one of seven regional accrediting commissions.   
 
Accreditation is a voluntary system of self-regulation developed to evaluate overall educational quality and institutional effectiveness. The ACCJC accreditation process provides assurance to the public that the accredited member colleges meet its standards; the education earned at the institutions is of value to the student who earned it; and employers, trade or profession-related licensing agencies, and other colleges and universities can accept a student's credential as legitimate.