TOMS RIVER – Last week, a community college in New Jersey that faced accreditation challenges last summer received a vote of confidence from its regional accrediting body. Ocean County College was officially informed that its accreditation has been maintained, according to statements from college representatives on Wednesday, June 27.
Ocean County College’s President, Pamela Monaco, in a message to the college community, emphasized the hard work and the enhancements made over the past year in governance and other necessary areas to meet accreditation standards. She pointed out that these improvements were crucial and have strengthened the institution.
On June 29, 2023, the college was initially alerted by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education—its accrediting agency—of a possible non-compliance issue, particularly regarding Standard VII, which concerns the institution’s governance, leadership, and administration practices. The specific concerns of the accrediting agency weren’t detailed, and requests for comment on the corrections made were not immediately answered by a college spokesperson.
Following this warning, the college promptly took action to prove compliance with Standard VII, focusing on the concerns raised by the agency and showcasing its governance structure under Monaco’s leadership, who assumed her role on July 1, 2023.
In January, a report was submitted to the accrediting body by the college, illustrated the sustained compliance with the standard in question. This was followed by a visit from agency officials in February to review the college’s improvements.
Despite being on warning, Ocean County College retained its accreditation status. Accreditation is vital for colleges to operate and for their students to access federal financial aid. While losing accreditation is rare, institutions often resolve identified issues to regain full compliance with accrediting standards.
Ocean County College is scheduled to submit another report by March 3, 2025, to verify the long-term adherence to the corrective actions it has implemented, as mandated by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college initially earned its accreditation in 1969 and had its status last reaffirmed in 2014.