BOTTINEAU – To support its ongoing accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Dakota College at Bottineau recently participated in a four-year assurance review process.

The Higher Learning Commission is the largest institutional accreditor in the United States. Continued accreditation is important as it assures students that the college is eligible to award federal financial aid. Accreditation also serves an important role in facilitating the transfer of college coursework from one institution to another, as it informs receiving institutions that the college has met a set of standards that help ensure a quality education. DCB was first accredited in 1971 and the most recent approval marks 50 years of continued accreditation for the college.

As anticipated, the college easily met all 18 components in the review with no concerns. This milestone was achieved just two years after DCB addressed previous concerns regarding faculty credentialing, institutional effectiveness and assessment of cocurricular activities.

“The faculty and staff at DCB have done an outstanding job with our accreditation and this hard work has been validated by HLC. I am particularly proud of Dr. Lexi Kvasnicka-Gates, who serves as our accreditation liaison officer and who supported our team members in continuous improvement efforts. We are a quality institution because of their commitment to teaching and learning,” said Dr. Carmen Simone, DCB campus dean/CEO.

Over the next several years, DCB will participate in a Quality Initiative, which is part of the 10-year accreditation cycle. The next regularly scheduled site visit by HLC reviewers will happen during the 2029-2030 academic year.