Bunker Hill Community College Receives 10-Year Accreditation from NECHE
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) received a continuation in accreditation status from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The accreditation establishes that the College has demonstrated itself to be educationally effective and a good steward of public resources. NECHE accreditation encompasses the entire institution and is a critical eligibility requirement for student access to federal financial aid as it allows BHCC to participate in Title V Pell grant funding. Over 60% of BHCC students receive financial aid to complete their studies. The continuation in accreditation will dramatically increase access and degree completion.
The reaccreditation followed a rigorous self-study and peer-review process that involved faculty, staff, administration, students, and the Board of Trustees and a virtual visit from the Commission this past spring that found the College in compliance with the Standards of Accreditation.
“The Commission commends Bunker Hill Community College for its institutional achievements and its continued commitment to and focus on student success,” said the Commission in a letter announcing its recommendation for the College’s continued accreditation. “The College’s use of local and national datasets, such as Achieving the Dream, AACC’s Volunteer Framework of Accountability, and BHCC’s program reviews to inform planning and decision making is particularly noteworthy.”
The Commission went on to commend BHCC for its efforts to address the needs of its student community through initiatives such as the DISH Food Pantry and the Pao Arts Center partnership, and noted the success of the College’s LifeMap and Learning Communities initiatives.
“The roots of our success reach back a decade to those innovations and early efforts that prepared the path we are currently on,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger in a letter to the College community. “I want to thank everyone who contributed to our current success through work in teaching and learning, student service, and support. We should be very proud and ready to see BHCC through another ten years of service to our students and our community”
BHCC has been accredited by NECHE (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, NEASC) since 1976, and was last reviewed in 2010.
In accordance with Commission policy requiring an interim (fifth-year) report of all institutions on a decennial evaluation cycle, BHCC will submit its interim report in Spring 2025. The Commission requested that the report emphasize the College’s success in implementing institution-wide assessment processes, including assessment of its A.A. Liberal Arts program and General Education curriculum revisions; maintaining financial stability and addressing facilities concerns; and implementing plans to assess its governance structures.
NECHE is one of seven accrediting commissions in the United States that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Accreditation is voluntary and applies to the institution as a whole. The Commission, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, accredits approximately 220 institutions in the six-state New England region as well as several American-style institutions overseas.
Read the Self-Study and Letter of Recommendation from NECHE.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
Celebrating 50 years of excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).