UH administrators elected to chair, member posts on accrediting commissions

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Kymber-Lee S Char, (808) 956-9437
Public Information Officer, External Affairs and University Relations
Posted: Aug 9, 2010

Linda Johnsrud
Linda Johnsrud
Michael Rota
Michael Rota
Susan Murata
Susan Murata
HONOLULU – The University of Hawai‘i System is proud to announce the appointment of Linda Johnsrud, UH System vice president for academic planning and policy, as chair of the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, the senior commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Michael Rota, chancellor of Honolulu Community College, was also appointed as chair of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of WASC, and Susan Murata, head librarian at Kapi‘olani Community College, has been selected to serve as an ACCJC commissioner. Their three-year terms began July 1, 2010.
 
As chairs of their respective commissions, Johnsrud and Rota will lead the executive committee and serve on the WASC Corporate Board and in several ex-officio capacities. As members of WASC, they assure that an accredited institution has met, and continues to meet, high standards of academic quality and educational effectiveness. In addition, the commission emphasizes institutional structures, processes and resources.
 
“Linda and Mike’s impressive leadership as senior administrators and their extensive knowledge of policies and procedures of higher education institutions make them excellent choices to lead the commissions,” said UH President M.R.C. Greenwood. “Their selection and the appointment of Susan Murata as a commissioner is a testament to the respect the University of Hawai‘i holds within accrediting circles. I congratulate all three of them on this great accomplishment.”
  
As a commissioner, Murata will get first-hand experience reviewing applications for accreditation, implementing the accreditation standards and participating in site visits to other colleges in the Western region.
 
Kapi‘olani CC Chancellor Leon Richards commented that Murata is perfect for this appointment. “Susan has a keen mind for detail and is a goal setter. Her accumulated experiences in our 10-campus system and her familiarity with the accreditation process will make her a valuable asset to her team members and to the ACCJC.”
 
Johnsrud was appointed to the Commission in 2007 and elected vice chair in 2009. As the vice president for academic planning and policy, she collaborates with lead campus academic officers to set forth the overall academic vision, goals and strategic plan for the University of Hawai‘i System. Johnsrud also advises the president on matters relating to systemwide planning, policy development and analysis, and oversees institutional research, international education and P-20 initiatives. She was elected 2006-07 president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, an international association of scholars in the field of higher education.
 
Rota was appointed to the Commission in 2004 and served as vice chair since January 2010. He has more than 40 years of service in public education in Hawai‘i. Prior to becoming chancellor of Honolulu Community College, he served as associate vice president for academic affairs for the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges, where he was responsible for academic program planning, evaluation and assessment; course and program articulation; regional accreditation; federal higher education and workforce development issues, and collaboration with external agencies. Rota has represented the UH System on the State Workforce Development Council since its inception in 1997 and is a member of the O‘ahu Workforce Investment Board.
 
Murata will be serving her first term as a commissioner. She has worked on four campuses within the UH System for over 22 years and has been the head librarian at Kapi‘olani CC since 2001. In addition to her duties as head librarian, she is also responsible for the computer labs, the campus’ website, the testing center, as well as the Library and Learning Resources of the college.
 
With offices in Alameda, Calif., the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities is responsible for the evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of 161 colleges and universities offering the baccalaureate degree and above in California, Hawai‘i, Guam and the Pacific Basin. The accrediting commission consists of 25 members who are nominated and elected by the chief executive officers of accredited institutions in the Western Association of Schools and Colleges region.
 
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges accredits associate degree granting institutions in California, Hawai‘i, the Territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
 
The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges are two of three commissions under the corporate entity known as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.