Orientation to SACS Reaffirmation: Role of the Leadership Team

1. Orientation to SACS Reaffirmation: Role of the Leadership Team Dr. Constance Ray Vice President, Institutional Research, Planning, & Effectiveness

2. What is SACS Reaffirmation about? • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) regional accreditation • Commission on Colleges accredits higher education institutions in 11 southern states • Provides for peer review process to ensure quality • Takes place every 10 years • Threshold of eligibility for receiving federal funds • Threshold of eligibility for program accreditation

3. What does it signify? • Mission appropriate to higher education • Sufficient resources, programs and services to accomplish and sustain mission • Clear educational objectives consistent with mission and degree offerings • Successful in achieving stated objectives

4. What is the Reaffirmation Process?

5. The Compliance Certification • Institution makes the case for compliance for each • Core Requirement • Comprehensive Standard • Federal Requirement • Case is supported with documentation, relevant data, and an explanatory narrative • Non-compliance judgment on Core Requirement results in automatic sanction

6. Core Requirement Areas • Degree-granting Authority • Governing Board • Chief Executive Officer • Institutional Mission and Effectiveness • Continuous Operation • Program Length and Content • General Education • Degree Program Course Work • Adequate Faculty • Learning Resources and Services • Student Support Services • Financial and Physical Resources • Acceptable QEP

7. Comprehensive Standard Areas • Mission, Governance and Effectiveness • Educational Programs • Faculty • Library and Learning Resources • Student Affairs and Services • Financial Resources • Physical Resources

8. Acceptable QEP • CR 2.12 – includes an institutional process for identifying key issues emerging from institutional assessment and focuses on learning outcomes and/or the environment supporting student learning and accomplishing the mission of the institution • CS 3.3.2 – demonstrates institutional capability; includes broad-based involvement; and identifies goals and a plan to assess their achievement

9. The Leadership Team should: • Not be large • Include individuals with skills, knowledge, and authority to lead total institutional effort • Include, at least, the President, Provost, accreditation liaison, and faculty representative • Manage and validate the internal institutional assessment of compliance to ensure integrity of process and documents

10. Leadership Team Responsibilities: • Coordinate and manage the internal review process, including developing structure and timelines • Send 4 members to SACS orientation in June 2011 • Oversee review of compliance and documentation of evidence • Develop Focused Report (addresses concerns of off-site review) • Oversee development of QEP • Ensure University community is engaged and informed • Oversee arrangements for on-site visit • Ensure appropriate follow-up activities

12. Reaffirmation Timeline

13. Key Concerns

14. Questions?