National accrediting agency gives Air Force Academy 30 days to respond to complaint

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (KOAA) — In the latest escalation surrounding the controversial civilian faculty cuts at the Air Force Academy (USAFA), a national accrediting agency has given the institution 30 days to respond to concerns raised in a formal complaint.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is considered the largest accreditation and governing agency in the country, covering 950 colleges and universities, according to its website.

“Upon initial review of your complaint, HLC determined that the matter regarding the United States Air Force Academy raises potential concerns regarding the institution’s compliance with the Criteria for Accreditation,” said the HLC in a letter dated Oct. 14. “Due to these potential concerns, HLC will conduct a further review of the institution based on your complaint.”

Accreditation is a key aspect of any post-secondary institution, as it allows credits to transfer between schools, ensures eligibility for federal financial aid, and serves as a way to showcase the quality of education being received.

In terms of the Academy, concerns have been raised throughout this year as PhD and other qualified faculty have been departing through deferred resignations, early departures, and layoffs, according to sources familiar with the matter and confirmations by Superintendent Tony Bauernfeind.

Bauernfeind has stressed that the cuts have been directed to happen across the Air Force and no majors have been lost for now, but sources within the Academy have said the cuts seem to be far more severe than required.

As part of the criteria for the accreditation process, the institution must provide instructors who are qualified to teach the courses they are assigned to teach.

HLC said it forwarded the complaint to USAFA for a formal review and response. The Academy must respond to the concerns in writing and provide appropriate supporting evidence.

It’s unclear when the deadline to respond is, but it could be as soon as Nov. 13 based on the cited timeline. HLC wouldn’t comment on the complaint, but KOAA did independently confirm the authenticity of the letter.

In a response to questions, the Air Force Academy acknowledged it received the letter from the HLC and intends to respond within established protocols.

“We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of academic rigor, upholding the standards for accreditation, and complying with the HLC’s assumed practices for higher education,” said an Air Force Academy spokesperson. “We welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with HLC, addressing any concerns and demonstrating our commitment to excellence in education.”

The formal complaint, reviewed by KOAA, was submitted Oct. 1. It was officially submitted by Dr. Kent Murphy, a former Academy graduate and longtime pre-medical advisor for cadets.

“This April a voluntary resignation program was hastily instituted at the Academy that resulted in large numbers of our most qualified PhD educators quitting. Many of these were in STEM fields,” the complaint said.

“Even though these positions are crucial to our ability to offer some of our most technical majors, virtually none of these vacated positions have been refilled. Confirmation from the Dean‘s office shows that there have been vigorous attempts to look for replacements - particularly among active duty military personnel. These efforts have proven totally fruitless,” the complaint continued.

Dr. Murphy, like many sources who’ve spoken both on and off the record with KOAA this year, has raised concerns about the USAFA plan to cut civilian faculty and its potential effects on the quality of education cadets will receive.

Losing accreditation was one such concern. Though the HLC letter signifies a serious consideration with the civilian faculty losses, it does not signal a potential loss of accreditation at this time.

If the USAFA leadership response is deemed sufficient, meaning it addresses concerns about filling the gaps left by departing and laid-off faculty, then HLC won’t proceed any further.

But if the Academy response doesn’t assuage concerns, the HLC can elevate to a follow-up report or on-site visit.

Otherwise, the next official reaffirmation of accreditation, which includes a site visit, is scheduled for 2028-2029. Official accreditation processes typically occur every 10 years.

“I'm not sure if [HLC] will put them on probation, but they could put them on notice for these issues, and the Academy is required to address them to the HLC and say, ‘OK, here's our plan to address your concerns,’” said Dr. Tony Aretz, a former USAFA professor for 17 years.

“And they usually follow that up with a yearly or bi-yearly status report to higher learning until the Higher Learning Commission is satisfied that the deficiency has been addressed to their satisfaction,” said Aretz.

Dr. Aretz also served as a two-time university president and is familiar with the accreditation process. Though his name doesn’t appear on the HLC complaint, he was involved in its submission.

He said the fact that the HLC sent the letter and asked for a response from USAFA leadership shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“It's pretty serious because one of their major criteria are the sufficient faculty to teach and the qualifications of the faculty to oversee the academic rigor and qualifications of the programs,” said Aretz. “The complaint addressed directly this criteria for accreditation. So since it dealt with one of their criteria for accreditation, they felt that the complaint raised some concerns that were possibly serious enough to put that criteria at risk.”

Dr. Kent Murphy said he and others are asking for the Secretary of the Air Force to implement a one-year delay in further civilian faculty cuts, with a continuation of funding for current faculty.

During that yearlong pause, Murphy said a panel of various stakeholders can ensure the future well being of the Academy can be better addressed and planned, rather than the sudden cuts implemented this year.

“Why has it been so difficult to successfully recruit even a few military educators to replace ongoing losses from a fearful and dispirited faculty?” Murphy said.

Murphy noted technical STEM courses require educators to possess scientific knowledge that’s up to date and current with the latest research, which is one hurdle in bringing in active duty military personnel to replace the civilian faculty losses.

“The final hurdle is this: their commanders must be willing to release them for a three-year tour at the Academy with zero assurance of ever getting them back,” Murphy said in a text message.

“Senior military leaders depend heavily on people of this caliber; often classifying them as mission essential," Murphy said. "Head hunters for the defense of industry frequently offer them triple their current salaries, and the folks at the AF Personnel Center call them… Unicorns!”

As for current educators at the Air Force Academy, they’ve been continuing to teach during the government shutdown without pay.

“Morale is in the dumps,” said one faculty source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, due to the lack of pay coupled with the uncertainty of their futures at the Academy.

Email Senior Reporter Brett Forrest at brett.forrest@koaa.com. Follow @brettforrestTV on X and Brett Forrest News on Facebook.

Brett can also communicate via encrypted apps like Signal. Due to the sensitive nature of ongoing reporting from federal actions, he is willing to take steps to protect identities.

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