Local college moves closer to accreditation

Champion Christian College styles itself as a school with a Biblical world view, but it also wants the academic bona fides that accreditation confers.

Before the campus at 600 Garland Ave. can gain that recognition, it has to pass muster with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. Administrators from other TRACS-accredited institutions and Tanmay Pramanik, vice president of institutional compliance for the Virginia-based accrediting agency, conducted an on-site visit this week to see how Champion stacks up.

If the TRACS accreditation commission grants candidacy status in October, students at Champion will be eligible for federal and state aid, student loans and will be able to transfer credits to other colleges.

Pramanik said the college will not know if it has been accepted for candidacy status, or pre-accreditation, until October, but he said this week’s audit has shown the school’s resolve to provide a top-shelf,

faith-based education.

The college’s degree offerings include a bachelor of arts in pastoral studies, youth ministries, mission fields, Christian education and music. The division of professional studies offers a four-year degree in the liberal arts, with a core of general education courses the college said is similar to what is required by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

“There’s a wonderful passion, commitment and dedication from the leadership,” Pramanik said. “The (board of trustees) was very engaged. They have highly qualified board members. President (Eric) Capaci has a vision and commitment and passion to succeed. They’re committed to excellence. You see that very clearly through all the facets of their institution.”

The six-person evaluation team examined the college’s leadership structure, faculty, support staff, curriculum, learning resources and financials. It interviewed board members, students and alumni and measured the college’s progress toward longrange goals such as improved fundraising, increased enrollment and graduation rates and the addition of facilities to the campus it shares with Gospel Light Baptist Church.

There are 10 standards colleges have to meet for candidacy status, including having a strategic plan and proof of external financial audits showing institutions are not operating at a deficit and have reserves that can be tapped during times of reduced circumstances.

Pramanik said TRACS is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national accrediting agency and relies on a more rigorous set of criteria in evaluating schools than the state Department of Higher Education. TRACS is the accrediting body for 70 institutions nationwide, he said.

“We’re also recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation,” he said. “Their standards and regulations are extremely high.”

The arduous road to accreditation began with the self-study Champion completed earlier this. The next leg requires the college to respond to the evaluation team’s recommendations and suggestions. It is all part of the exacting process to secure TRACS’ blessing, but Champion isn’t complaining.

“It’s well worth it,” said Ralph Ohm, chairman of the school’s board of trustees. “They’re making sure you’re providing a good, quality education to young people. You just can’t hang up a shingle and become a college. There’s a lot to it. They hold everybody to high standards.”

Champion will have five years to reach full accreditation if it achieves candidacy status later this. TRACS will measure the college’s progress through reports it is required to submit every six months, and an evaluation team will make another on-site visit that Pramanik said will be more rigorous than the pre-accreditation audit.

“It’s in the institution’s best interest to try and comply with those recommendations and suggestions within two or three or four progress reports,” Pramanik said. “You can achieve accreditation within two years, depending on how quickly you can satisfy those recommendations and suggestions.”

Ohm said Champion has a more ambitious timetable.

“We have a lot of new freshmen on campus this year,” he said. “We’re going to do everything we can to see that they and the students on campus now will have accredited degrees. We’re shooting for April of 2018.”