The Alamo Colleges could alter its name – among other changes - to satisfy an accreditation requirement from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The district received a formal letter from the association this week after a verbal warning last month.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed three of the five Alamo Colleges schools on a 12-month accreditation warning- San Antonio College, Northwest Vista College, and St. Philip’s College. Each is accredited separately. To maintain that accreditation a campus must show it is academically and operationally independent.
“They thought that there might be a perception in the community that the Alamo Colleges are the colleges that are accredited," says San Antonio College President Robert Vela. "It’s not the Alamo Colleges, it’s the independent colleges. That needed some clarification."
In an effort to prove their independence the colleges have already eliminated a class that was required at all the campuses. It used the book the “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."
On Tuesday, the Alamo Colleges board will vote on a measures that would change the district’s proper name to The Alamo Colleges District.
Board Chairwoman Yvonne Katz says the districts quality of education is not being called into question. “It was these things that needed to be tweaked and that’s what we’re doing.”
The Alamo Colleges Board and presidents say they don’t believe the district will lose accreditation. The Southern Association has asked for a remedy plan by September. The district plans to submit one by March.
