Reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges (SACS/COC) is accomplished through preparation of self-study documents and reviews by individuals from peer institutions in the SACS region. Two documents are prepared, a Compliance Certification document and a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The first contains our responses to the 82 standards 2007 Interim Edition contained in the Commissions’ “The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement” and the second is a study plan of a University-determined project which focuses on ways to improve student learning.

The process of preparing these two documents is being done in the following ways. Responses to almost all of the 82 standards are being prepared by administrators including Executive Officers showing that the University is in compliance with the criteria. This step began in Fall 2005, and the work being done and information relative to this work is contained on the Compliance Certification document web page.

Two of the criteria require participation of the faculty, and these relate to Institutional Effectiveness and Faculty Credentialing. Simply put, Institutional Effectiveness involves showing that the University is achieving its mission, including the instructional portion of that mission, through an outcomes-based assessment process, and the Institutional Effectiveness material describes how that is done. Faculty credentialing, on the other hand, is showing that faculty are qualified to help the University accomplish its mission and goals through a credentialing process. More detail is available through the links below:

Compliance Certification document preparation
•   Institutional Effectiveness
•   Faculty Credentialing
•   Quality Enhancement Plan