SACSCOC REAFFIRMATION
欧美高清鈥檚 accreditation is reaffirmed every 10 years by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is a private, non-profit and voluntary organization founded in 1895 in Atlanta, where it currently operates. To be accredited and reaffirmed, the university must demonstrate compliance with the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation and prepare a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).
Reaffirmation Leadership Team
Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, Interim President
Dr. Tejinder Sara, Provost and Vice President聽for Academic Affairs
Dr. 聽Sharon Burnett, Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Regina Burden, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Mr. A. Zachary Faison Jr., J.D.,聽General Counsel and Vice President for External Affairs
Ms. Barbara Owens, Assistant to the President for Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives
Mrs. Jeanette Moss-Smith, Director, Title III
Dr. Kellei Bishop Samuels, Associate Vice President Institutional Effectiveness and SACSCOC Liaison
Mr. Harold "Kippy" Tate, Vice President of Facilities and Construction
Dr. Roberta Troy, Department Head,聽Biology and QEP Steering Committee Chair
Mr. Michael Tullier, APR, Senior Director, Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
Quality Enhancement Plan
SACSCOC defines the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), required as a key component of the reaffirmation process, as 鈥渁 carefully designed course of action that addresses a well-defined and focused topic or issue related to enhancing student learning.鈥� Furthermore, SACSCOC states that the QEP 鈥渟hould be embedded within the institution鈥檚 ongoing integrated institution-wide planning.鈥� The QEP must be 鈥渇orward looking鈥� and "[launch] a process that can move the institution into the future characterized by creative, engaging and meaningful learning experiences for students.鈥�
The Quality Enhancement Plan must:
- focus on student learning (changes in knowledge, skills, behaviors or values)
- enhance student success
- include broad-based participation in the identification of the topic or issue to be addressed in the QEP
- include careful review of best practices
- include clear goals
- specify realistic, measurable student learning outcomes
- include allocation of adequate human and financial resources to develop, implement and sustain
- include implementation strategies that include a clear timeline and assignment of responsibilities
- include a structure established for evaluating the extent to which the goals set for the plan are attained
Furthermore, the QEP must:
- be part of ongoing planning and evaluation
- be Linked to effectiveness, quality, mission
- be Focused on well-defined issue(s)
- be thorough and analytical
- engage the wider academic community
- be an action plan to improve student learning
Reaffirmation Timeline
2008
- December: Decennial reaffirmation of accreditation received
2013
- December: SACSCOC begins publishing actions against member institutions
2014
- April: University submits first-ever five-year interim report covering years 2008-13
- June: University notified of 12 non-compliant items based on fifth-year interim report
- September: University submits audit reports and financial records as requested by SACSCOC
- November: U.S. Department of Education requires the university to post a $5 million irrevocable letter of credit based upon its failure to submit timely financials for FY13
2015
- April: Subsequent report on non-compliant items submitted
- June: University placed on warning for noncompliance with Core Requirement 2.2 (Governing Board) and seven remaining items
2016
- April: Subsequent report on non-compliant items submitted
- June: Notified by SACSCOC of continued warning with four remaining items
- December: SACSCOC approves online degree programs
2017
- April: Report submission on four remaining items: CS 3.3.1.1, CS 3.10.1, CS 3.10.2 and FR 4.7
- June: SACSCOC lifts warning status previously imposed on the university
- September: Submission of 10-year decennial reaffirmation of accreditation compliance report
- November: Anticipated off-site accreditation review
2018
- January: Anticipated university response, including new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for 2018-23
- February: Anticipated SACSCOC on-site accreditation visit
- March - November: Anticipated SACSCOC and university reports and responses
- December: Anticipated decision on reaffirmation bid
2019
- January: University receives anticipated letter of reaffirmation