What's the difference between SACSCOC and SCHEV?
What are the SACSCOC requirements?
When will SACSCOC announce a decision about JMU's accreditation status?
What happens if JMU doesn't get reaffirmed?
What credentials are required for faculty under SACSCOC guidelines?
What is SACSCOC?
SACSCOC stands for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. This institution accrediting body, recognized by the United States Department of Education, oversees accreditation of higher education within Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin American. Their mission is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.
What's the difference between SACSCOC and SCHEV?
SACSCOC is one of five agencies to award accreditation for colleges and universities in the United States, but the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is the state’s coordinating body for public higher education. JMU operates under the policies and requirements of both.
How is SACS accreditation related to our discipline-specific professional accreditations and isn't having the various professional programs accredited sufficient?
Institutional accreditation is actually a requirement for most discipline-specific professional accreditations. So without SACSCOC accreditation most professional programs cannot be accredited. Also, most discipline-specific professional accreditations focus on the appropriateness and quality of the educational program, whereas SACSCOC accreditation focuses on the entire institution and the extent to which there are the necessary and appropriate structures and processes in place to successfully achieve the institution's mission.
What are the SACSCOC requirements?
The SACSCOC requirements are called the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement. They are a list of 73 principles and standards that we need to meet in order to be in full compliance with to receive our reaffirmation of accreditation.
What does accreditation mean?
Accreditation means the institution has:
- a mission appropriate to higher education
- the resources, programs and services to accomplish and sustain that mission
- clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and that are appropriate to the degrees it offers
- success in achieving its stated objectives
Being accredited and in good standing with SACSCOC allows JMU’s students to transfer credit to other institutions and be eligible for financial aid.
When will SACSCOC announce a decision about JMU's accreditation status?
Following the 10-year cycle, the Commission on Colleges makes a final decision about JMU's accreditation status at its annual business meeting in December of the reaffirmation year. The university will receive an official letter the following January.
What happens if JMU doesn't get reaffirmed?
It is extremely important for JMU to be reaffirmed! Our peer reviewers will offer recommendations for those areas that they deem noncompliant. However, if we receive anything less than full reaffirmation, our university may potentially lose:
- Federal funding
- Prestige and reputation in academia
- Admissions applicants
- The ability for JMU’s graduates to secure jobs
What credentials are required for faculty under SACSCOC guidelines?
Institutions are required by SACSCOC to document and justify that each faculty member is qualified to teach assigned courses. Documentation and justification may be accomplished by using only traditional academic credentials, by using a combination of traditional academic credentials and “other” qualifications. If a combination of traditional credentials and “other” credentials is used, or if the “other” qualifications only approach is used, then a portfolio approach for qualifications is suggested. This approach normally requires a careful and thorough justification that demonstrates the linkage between the various components of the portfolio of qualifications to the courses being taught.
When the qualifying credential aligns with the courses being taught, no justification is normally required as the credential speaks for itself, e.g. Ph.D. in English teaching English. However, if the Ph.D. is in Business Administration and the faculty member is teaching Accounting, then a written justification is normally necessary.
Who's involved?
SACSCOC Liaison
Dr. Chris Orem
Working Group:
- Ms. Tina Grace, Chair
- Ms. Kathryn Brown
- Ms. Sarah Cheverton
- Ms. Cindy Chiarello
- Dr. Elizabeth Oldmixon
- Ms. Kristi Shackelford
- Dr. Traci Zimmerman
Can I participate?
Absolutely! Faculty, staff and students can get involved in the reaffirmation process. Our success depends on the community’s dedication through this endeavor.
Right now you can:
- Familiarize yourself with the process and JMU’s mission
- Respond to requests for documentation
- Submit any questions or comments
- Attend forums in relation to JMU’s reaffirmation
Additional questions?
Submit your questions here or visit the SACSCOC site.