Frequently Asked Questions
About the Reaffirmation Process
- What is SACS?
- What is accreditation?
-
What does the accreditation process mean for the university?
- What has to happen for accreditation?
- How does the process work?
- Preparation by the Institution
- Review by Peers
- When will this process occur?
- Who is involved in the process?
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Process FAQs
1.
What is SACS?
SACS is the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools. It is recognized by the United
States Department of Education
as the regional body that accredits educational
institutions
in Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina. South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and
Latin America.
The SACS website can be found at:
www.sacscoc.org
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2.
What
is accreditation?
Accreditation is (a statement) intended to assure constituents and the
public of the quality
and integrity of higher
education institutions and programs, and to help those institutions and
programs improve. These outcomes are achieved through rigorous internal and
external
review processes during which the institution is evaluated against
a common set of
standards. Accreditation is a statement of the
institution's continuing commitment to integrity
and its capacity to provide
effective programs and services based on agreed-upon
accreditation
standards.
Source: www.sacscoc.org/faqs.asp
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3.
What does the accreditation process mean for the university?
When accreditation is awarded to an institution of higher education by the
Commission on
Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, it means that the institution
has:
1. a mission appropriate to higher education
2. resources, programs, and services sufficient to
accomplish and sustain its mission
3. clearly specified educational objectives that are
consistent with its mission and
appropriate degrees it offers
4. that it is successful in achieving its stated
objectives.
Source: www.sacscoc.org/faqs.asp
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4.
What has to happen for accreditation?
To gain or maintain accreditation
with the Commission on Colleges, an institution must
comply with the standards contained in the
Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for
Quality Enhancement and with the policies and procedures of the Commission on
Colleges. The
Commission on Colleges applies the requirements of its Principles to all
applicants,
candidates, and member institutions, regardless of type of institution (public,
private for-profit,
private not-for-profit.)
SOURCE: www.sacscoc.org/principles.asp
The process
for initial and continued accreditation involves a collective analysis and
judgment by the institution’s internal constituencies, an informed review by peers
external to
the institution, and reasoned decision by the elected members of the Commission on
Colleges.
Accredited institutions periodically conduct internal reviews involving their
administrative
officers, staffs, faculties, students, trustees, and others appropriate to the
process.
The internal
review allows an institution to consider its effectiveness in achieving its
stated
mission, its compliance with the Commission’s accreditation requirements, its efforts
in
enhancing the quality of student learning and the quality of programs and services offered
to
its constituencies, and its success in accomplishing its mission.
At the
culmination of the internal review, peer evaluators representing the
Commission apply
their professional judgment through a preliminary assessment of the institution;
elected
Commissioners make the final determination of an institution’s compliance with the
accreditation requirements.
Source:
http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/2008PrinciplesofAccreditation.pdf
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5.
How does the process work?
The process is specific to an institution seeking reaffirmation of
accreditation, and
consists of
two processes:
1. Preparation by the Institution
2. Review by Peers
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6.
Preparation by the Institution
As part of the reaffirmation process,
the institution will provide two separate
documents.
Compliance Certification
The Compliance Certification, submitted approximately fifteen months
in advance of an
institution’s scheduled reaffirmation, is a document completed by the institution that
demonstrates its judgment of
the extent of its compliance with each of the Core
Requirements, Comprehensive Standards, and Federal Requirements. Signatures by
the institution’s chief executive officer and accreditation liaison are required to certify
compliance. By signing the document,
the individuals certify that the process of
institutional self-assessment has
been thorough,
honest, and forthright, and that the
information contained in the document is truthful, accurate, and
complete.
Quality Enhancement Plan
The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), submitted four to six weeks in
advance of the on-
site
review by the Commission, is a document developed by the institution
that:
1. includes a
broad-based institutional process identifying key issues emerging
from
institutional assessment
2. focuses on learning outcomes and/or the
environment supporting student learning
and accomplishing the mission of the institution
3. demonstrates institutional capability for the
initiation, implementation, and
completion of the QEP
4. includes broad-based involvement of
institutional constituencies in the development
and proposed implementation of the QEP
5. identifies goals and a plan to assess
their achievement
The QEP should be focused and succinct of no more than seventy-five
(75) pages of
narrative text and no more than twenty-five (25) pages of supporting documentation
or
charts, graphs, and tables.
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7.
Review by Peers
The Off-Site Peer Review
Following review by the Off-Site Committee, an On-Site
Review Committee of peers will
conduct a
focused evaluation at the campus to finalize issues of
compliance with:
1.
the Core Requirements, Comprehensive Standards, and Federal
Requirements
2. provide consultation regarding the
issues addressed in the QEP
3. evaluate the acceptability of the QEP
At the conclusion of its visit, the On-Site Review Committee
will prepare the Report of the
Reaffirmation Committee, a written report of its findings
noting areas of non-compliance,
including the acceptability of the QEP. The Report of the
Reaffirmation Committee, along
with the institution’s response to areas of non-compliance, will be forwarded to
the
Commission for review and action.
The Review by the Commission on Colleges
The Committees on
Compliance and Reports (C & R), which are standing
committees of the
Commission, review report prepared by peer committees and
the institutional responses to
those reports. The C & R Committee’s recommendation regarding an
institution’s
reaffirmation of accreditation is forwarded to the Executive Council for
review. The Executive
Council recommends action to the full Commission which makes the final decision
on
reaffirmation and any follow-up activities that it requires of an institution. The full
Commission
convenes twice a year.
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8.
When will this process occur?
The table below provides a timeline for major events associated with the
reaffirmation
process.
|
University of
Montevallo Timeline for SACS Reaffirmation |
|
Compliance Certification document due |
September 2010 |
|
Off-Site Review |
Fall 2010 |
|
On-Site Review |
Spring 2011 |
|
Commission on Colleges Review |
December 2011 |
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9.
Who is involved in the process?
In one sense, the entire UM community is
involved in reaffirmation since everyone is needed
to complete such a vast and important endeavor. SACS principles also make it
clear that
broad-based involvement and input is needed for reaffirmation to occur. That said, the effort
leading up to reaffirmation of our accreditation by
SACS is being led by three committees
who function and membership is listed on our
Teams page.
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