Review Team Recommends Accreditation Renewal For Eastern Oklahoma State College
(Press Release 11-15-06)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Eastern Oklahoma State College officials announced today (Nov. 15) that the Higher Learning Commission review team of the North Central Association of Colleges & Secondary Schools is recommending that the Wilburton and McAlester school be granted a full ten-year accreditation renewal.

“This recommendation represents their (review team) judgment that the college is on the right track, is operating according to national college and university standards and can expect a bright future,” Eastern President Dr. Richard Bernard said.

“This is an excellent report about an excellent institution,” Review Team Chairperson Dr. David Devier said during the exit report. “Your students love this place and speak very highly of the people here.”

Citing concern only for the leadership turnovers which impacted the college after 2000, the Commission proclaimed a “bright future” for the college.

Devier also complimented the institution on the self study that has been compiled by college staff during the past three years as part of the accreditation review process.

“We were commended for being very honest and candid within the self study,” said Eastern Self Study Committee Chair Karen Harrison.

The Commission will next visit Eastern two years into the new accreditation period to validate its continued progress.

The Wilburton based college has been continually accredited by the agency since 1954.

Eastern was originally established as the Oklahoma School of Mines and Metallurgy in 1908, offering degrees in mining engineering. Although closed during World War I, the school reopened in 1920 with trade and industrial education added to the curriculum.

In 1924, the School of Mines added teacher training and extension courses, but, with the decline of local area mining by then well advanced, the school dropped mining engineering. Then in 1927, the school won a long overdue name change to Eastern Oklahoma State College and with the change came an added mission of pre-college level instruction.

In 1941, the again renamed Eastern Oklahoma State College Agricultural and Mechanical College moved under the control of the State Board of Agriculture as a junior college.

Finally, in 1972, the legislature settled on the name Eastern Oklahoma State College and created a separate board to govern the institution. Since that time, Eastern has been a comprehensive community college providing instruction in a wide range of curricula.

In 1998, Eastern opened a state-of-the-art branch facility in McAlester, offering programs at the associate, bachelor and graduate levels. Additionally, Eastern offers classes at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University McCurtain County Campus in Idabel and in Antlers.