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Accreditation

Accreditation

The Manono Campus in Hilo.
Students at the Manono campus in front of P'io P'io Hale.
The front of the Manono campus when the college was known as the Hawaii Technical School.
Students in front of Hale Aloha, which was recently renovated and is home to the Nursing program.
Several Career & Technical Education programs are located on the Upper Campus at UH Hilo, including Machine, Welding and Industrial Mechanics.
Hawai'i CC students share many services with UH Hilo students and have access to the Mookini Library, the UH Hilo Bookstore and other resources on the Upper Campus at UH Hilo.
Papa'ā Hale and Kapakapakaua Malae are the site of many Hawaiian protocols ceremonies at the Manono campus.
Students in the Agriculture program use greenhouses and other facilities in Pana'ewa.
Programs in the Business Education and Technology Division, like Information Technology, are located on the Upper Campus at UH Hilo.

Hawaiʻi Community College (Hawaiʻi CC) is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), 428 J Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814, Telephone: (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

Hawaiʻi CC completed its 2025 Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) and will be undergoing an accreditation review by a Peer Review Team in March and site visit in September 2025 under ACCJC.

As part of the re-accreditation process, ACCJC is requesting Third Party Comments. Comments can be submitted by the Hawaiʻi CC campus community and general public. ACCJC will review all third-party comments to assess their applicability to Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, or Policies. Applicable third-party comments will become part of ACCJC’s review of Hawaiʻi CC and will be shared with the College. You are invited to submit third-party comments by June 30, 2025.

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Complaints Against Member Institutions

Students and members of the public who desire to file a formal complaint related to noncompliance with accreditation standards may contact the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) directly. The commission can be contacted at: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; 428 J Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95814, Telephone: (415) 506- 0234. Email: accjc@accjc.org.

Complaints Against the Commission

Individuals who wish to file a formal complaint to the Commission about the ACCJC should become familiar with the requirements for doing so prior to contacting the Commission.

Third Party Comments

A third-party comment may be submitted to the Commission at any time as it relates to the compliance of a member institution with Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, or Commission policies.

Individuals who wish to make comments on the institutions that are undergoing review in the current semester and that are being considered by the Commission at its next meeting, should use the Third Party Comments Form and be sure to include their name, address, phone number, and email address.

The following Hawai'i Community College programs have additional accreditation, certification, or approval through their respective agencies:

Associate in Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts (CULN) Program

Associate of Science Degree in Nursing (NURS) Program

  • Approved by the Hawai'i State Board of Nursing, PVLD/DCCA, Attn: Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 3469, Honolulu, HI 96801. To inquire about filing a complaint, call (808) 587- 3295.
  • Disclosure of Information About Hawai’i Community College Nursing and Allied Health Division Accreditation

    The Associate in Science Degree in Nursing at Hawai’i Community College at the Manono and Palamanui/Kona campuses located in 1175 Manono Street Hilo, HI 96720 and 73-4225 Ane Keohokālole Hwy. Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 is accredited by the:

    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
    3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326
    (404) 975-5000 www.qcenursing.org

    The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Hawai’i Community College Associate in Science Degree in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.

Certificate of Achievement in Practical Nursing (PRCN) Program

  • Approved by the Hawai'i State Board of Nursing, PVLD/DCCA, Attn: Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 3469, Honolulu, HI 96801. To inquire about filing a complaint, call (808) 587- 3295.

Hawai'i Community College Children's Center

Accreditation Liaison Officer

E. Kalani Flores
ekflores@hawaii.edu