In July 2010, Chris Constantin, Assistant City Auditor for San Diego, CA, began serving his appointment to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) which operates as part of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. ACCJC is one of seven regionally accrediting commissions authorized by the US Department of Education to accredit colleges. ACCJC evaluates overall educational quality and institutional effectiveness of colleges in the Western region of the US and Pacific spanning as far as the Republic of Palau, Federal States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.