Institutional Accreditation
The College of the Marshall Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, 428 J Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814, (415) 506-0234, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information about accreditation, including the filing of complaints against member institutions, can be found at: www.accjc.org
At its June 2025 meeting, the Commission acted to place CMI on Warning, requiring a Special Report by November 1, 2026.
The college’s next comprehensive review will begin with the Team ISER Review in the fall term of 2027 and conclude with a Focused Site Visit in the spring term of 2028.
The College has already begun preparations for its Institutional Self-Evaluation Report, guided by the Accreditation Steering Committee:
- Steering Committee Chair and Accreditation Liaison Officer, Dr. Elizabeth Switaj
- Standard 1 Co-Chairs: Dr. Rosalie Bojos, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment and Jennifer Poquita, Developmental Education Instructor
- Standard 2 Co-Chairs: Edward Alfonso, Dean of Academic Affairs and Dr. Rosalinda Sumaoang, Chair of STEM
Standard 3 Co-Chairs: Meyar Laukon, Dean of Student Success and Gade Maitokana, Chair of Developmental Education
Standard 4 Co-Chairs: Hatty Kabua, Grants Office Coordinator and Alvin Page, Elementary Education Instructor
Third parties that wish to make a comment regarding CMI’s accreditation may do so via the ACCJC website.
The ACCJC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) as a reliable authority regarding the quality of education offered by the institutions that we accredit in keeping with the Higher Education Act of 1965. The Department of Education conducts a review of accrediting commissions every five years and confers recognition on agencies that continue to meet its criteria. Institutions wishing to provide students with federal financial aid must seek accreditation from a ED-recognized accrediting body.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) has established criteria that define a quality review system for accrediting agencies. Although CHEA recognition is voluntary, many accrediting agencies participate in the CHEA quality review process as part of their own efforts to establish and maintain quality practices. In its January 2021 action, CHEA renewed its recognition of ACCJC for seven years.
CMI submitted its last Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) in January 2021. The March 16-19, 2021 peer review visit was conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At its June 2021 meeting, ACCJC acted to reaffirm CMI’s accreditation for 18 months and require a Follow-Up Report. CMI’s Follow-Up Report was submitted October 1, 2022, and the follow-up visit was held virtually October 17-18. At its January 2023 meeting, ACCJC acted to reaffirm CMI’s accreditation for the remainder of the cycle.
CMI submitted its Midterm Report in March 2025, and the report was accepted by the Commission in June 2025.
Substantive Change
On June 6, 2025, CMI’s application to offer its first program fully in the distance education modality was administratively approved.
On May 14, 2025, CMI’s application to offer a new program, the Certificate of Completion in IT Support Level 1, was administratively approved.
On May 22, 2023, ACCJC’s Committee on Substantive Change voted to approve CMI’s application to offer two new maritime certificates of completion.
On May 24, 2022, ACCJC’s Committee on Substantive Change voted to approve CMI’s application to begin offering full programs at the Kwajalein campus.
Accreditation documents from previous cycles can be found in the Accreditation Documents Archive.