Budget Cuts May Lead To Accreditation Sanctions Against SF City College

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Funding cuts to higher education in California means more than just increased tuition and fees for students. Many community colleges like City College of San Francisco face accreditation sanctions.

David Baime with the American Association of Community Colleges said funding cuts can hurt accreditation status because an institution's accreditation is about its ability to provide a quality education to all of its students.

"That ability is undermined by the very deep budget reductions that the colleges have absorbed and of course the colleges themselves are literally offering less education than they were a few years ago," Baime said.

KCBS' Melissa Culross Reports:

The former State Superintendant of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin argued that the community college system in California not only prepares students who want to transfer to four-year schools, but offers job training.

"The jobs that really make America run are often not requiring four-year college degrees and you can get these skills at the community college," Eastin said.

However, she also acknowledged that the system has been hit with severe funding cuts in recent years.

Other community colleges that face accreditation sanctions include those in San Jose and Berkeley, which are either on probation or warning status.

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