Special Message from President Campbell

March 13, 2008

I am writing to update you on the significant progress Claremont School of Theology is making with regard to its accreditation. I begin by reminding you that in June 2006 Claremont was found to have fallen out of compliance with three important Standards maintained by the regional accrediting group, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Though Claremont has remained fully accredited at all times, it was placed under a Sanction known as "Show Cause" in November 2006. This Sanction gave Claremont one year to demonstrate why its accreditation should not be revoked.

To be clear: Claremont never "lost its accreditation." Nor has the strength and effectiveness of our academic program been questioned.

In November 2007, Claremont hosted a review committee from WASC whose purpose was to determine if Claremont had made sufficient progress to be removed from the Show Cause Sanction. I should note that Claremont's shortcomings in 2006 and before might be summarized as:

• having failed to maintain a healthy, balanced budget [WASC Standard 3: "On Finance"]
• having failed to develop a realistic strategic business plan for the future of the School [WASC Standard 4: "On Planning"], and
• having failed to openly acknowledge and report its problems [WASC Standard 1: "On Integrity"].

I am happy to report that the visiting committee determined that the School has made and continues to make progress in each of the areas of concern. Indeed, Claremont was found to have come into full compliance with Standard 1. On Standards 3 and 4, Claremont was deemed to have made progress but still has work to do to achieve full compliance.

As a result, in February 2008, after receiving the report and talking with Claremont representatives, WASC took action to:

• Find that the School has "shown cause" why its accreditation should be continued, and continue the accreditation of Claremont School of Theology.
• Elevate the School to the status of "Probation."

In the fall of 2008, WASC will send another review team to Claremont to determine if we have finished the job of achieving full compliance. The Show Cause visiting team recognized "that the institution is in a transformational mode which, to date, has resulted in a series of important and positive changes ..." I concur with this assessment and assure you that the transformation will continue. Thus, it is my expectation that Claremont will achieve full compliance before that time and that the fall visiting team will give the School a clean bill of health with regard to Standards 3 and 4.

In closing, I commend the Board of Trustees, the faculty, the staff, the student body, our alumni/ae and friends, and our two sponsoring Annual Conferences (California-Pacific and Desert Southwest) for making possible our great progress and empowering Claremont's transformation. We have an exciting vision that will bring Claremont a healthy, vital, and exciting future, and with your continuing help, the vision is in the process of becoming reality.

Sincerely,

Jerry D. Campbell
President