Cynthia Jolliff-Johnson – Overview from SACS

August 30, 2012

5  Most Cited Standards are:

1. 3.3.1.1 Institutional Effectiveness: Educational Programs 49%

Common Issues:

a.  Not documenting use of data to make improvements

b.  Non representative sampling

c.  Not addressing distance education and off campus site programs.

d.  Lack of defined student learning outcomes and/or methods for assessing the outcomes.

2.  CR 2.8 #of fulltime faculty of each of its academic programs 41%

Common Issue:

a.  Not providing disaggregate data by full-time faculty, by program, by discipline, and by location. *Explain why the number is adequate

3.  3.4.1 Qualified Academic Coordinators 31%

Common Issue:

a.  Not providing documentation regarding why a person is qualified.

4.  4.5 Student Complaints 26%

Common Issues

a.  Did not maintain a log or record of complaints received by the institution

b.  Did not have documentation of

-  Who: Individuals or Offices responsible for maintain records

-  What: Elements of a complaint review that are not included in the record.

-  Where: Where the records are located (centralized or decentralized). Note: The record will be reviewed during the on-site evaluation.

*0nly written student complaints! Grade appeals are not complaints!

5.  3.13.3 Policy Compliance: Accrediting Decisions of other agencies 22%

Common Issues/ Institutions Should:

a.  List accrediting agencies

b.  Provide date of most recent review and indicate if a negative action was taken and reason for such action.

c.  Provide copies of statements used to describe itself for each of the accrediting bodies

d.  Indicate if any agency has terminated accreditation status. Show date and reason why accreditation was denied.

Questions and Responses:

1.  Qualified Administrative/Academic Officers: How far down the org chart to include?

Answer: Who are the main decision makers (hiring, contracts, BOT Rules – SPC Deans Level (When in doubt, contact SACS VP)

Common Issue: Not providing an org chart.

2.  How do we get SACSCOC approval for non-credit courses (Financial aid)? Can’t!

3.  QEP Impact Report – Within the narrative, a link to a website or other document is provided, does the number of pages of that website or document count towards the 10 pages. YES!

Ten pages addressing the big picture; an overview addressing what was the impact. Must be limited to 10 pages. You must count what’s in the linked pages if you use hyperlinks (Crystal Baird 3:00 pm, 5th year Interim Report)