Accreditation Information

San Juan College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to award associate degrees and certificates.

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SJC Accreditation History

The College was initially accredited in 1973 as a branch of New Mexico State University. In the 1980’s San Juan College was awarded a transfer of accreditation from New Mexico State University-San Juan Campus to San Juan College.

San Juan College’s continuous efforts for quality improvement was honored in 2000 with the Zia Award for Quality New Mexico. The only educational institution in the state to receive its highest quality award, San Juan College continues to improve its processes and procedures through the application of quality criteria and practices.

In 2000, San Juan College was selected by Higher Learning Commission to participate in the Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP). The AQIP model was a systematic, on-going approach to institutional accreditation based on continuous quality improvement principles and processes.  The College engaged in a number of AQIP activities, including implementation of institutional Action Projects designed to focus and organize quality initiative, and development of Systems Portfolios that take stock of its overall systems and processes for ensuring quality programs and services.  The College completed two full cycles in the AQIP Pathway and was recommended full accreditation on both occasions.

In 2018, The Higher Learning Commission discontinued the AQIP Pathway and moved San Juan College onto the Open Pathway with the next Comprehensive Evaluation scheduled for February 2024.  The Open Pathway is a ten-year cycle in which the college has Assurance Arguments reviewed during the fourth year, completes a Quality Initiative project in the seventh through ninth years, and has a comprehensive evaluation in the tenth year.  San Juan College’s Quality Initiative project was working with faculty to create a more caring campus.

San Juan College is committed to implementing the Quality Matters Standards for the design of online courses, and we are systematically building and evaluating our courses based on these rigorous, research-based standards. The Quality Matters Standards assure that the online components of these courses promote learner engagement and provide students with all the tools and information they need to be successful learners. More information regarding Quality Matters may be found at http://www.qualitymatters.org/.

San Juan College received Quality Matters approval of a three-year implementation plan in September, 2016. The plan includes the professional development goals and the number of courses that will undergo Quality Matters reviews in the plan period. The College met all of the first year professional development goals and is on track to meet the eight certified courses goal.

Faculty and staff completing professional development = 172

Workshops and certifications completed = 253

Program Specific Accreditation Information

San Juan College General Education Assessment Plan

The San Juan College General Education Assessment Plan ensure that each of the New Mexico General Education Competencies and Skills are being met by San Juan College students as they complete their general education courses. The plan outlines the process San Juan College uses to assess student work and determine if the Component Skills in the New Mexico General Education Essential Skills are being met.

View SJC General Education Assessment Plan