Every 10 years, colleges and universities accredited by SACSCOC must demonstrate they comply with the standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation and with the policies and guidelines of the Commission on Colleges. This process is called reaffirmation of accreditation. As shown in the timeline, this three-year process of rigorous self-evaluation culminates in two stages of peer review conducted by senior level faculty and administrators at other institutions accredited by SACSCOC. In between these decennial reviews is a Fifth-Year Impact Report (FYIR) in which the institution evaluates its adherence to standards and the effectiveness of its QEP.  ACU’s FYIR was complete in 2018 and next reaffirmation is scheduled for 2021-22.

Reaffirmation Components

Compliance Certification Report (CCR)

The institution conducts a comprehensive compliance audit prior to the filing of the compliance certification. The comprehensive compliance audit includes an assessment of all programs and courses offered by the institution on-campus and off-campus, and those offered through distance learning. The compliance certification, signed by the institution’s chief executive officer and accreditation liaison, attests to the institution’s honest assessment of compliance with the accreditation requirements of the SACSCOC (including core requirements, comprehensive standards and federal requirements) as applied to all aspects of the institution.

Quality Enhancement Project (QEP)

The concept of quality enhancement is at the heart of the commission’s philosophy of accreditation. Each institution seeking reaffirmation of accreditation is required to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan. Engaging the wider academic community and addressing one or more issues that contribute to institutional improvement, the plan should be focused, succinct, and limited in length. The QEP describes a carefully designed and focused course of action that addresses a well-defined topic or issue(s) related to enhancing student learning.

Timelines

Compliance Certification

• Summer 2019 - Readiness Audit
• Fall 2019 - Address Area of Concerns from Audit
• December 2019 - Leadership Orientation at SACSCOC Conference
• Spring 2020 - Address Any Remaining Areas of Concern from Audit and Form Reaffirmation Committee
• 2020-2021 - Write and Edit Compliance Certification
• Spring 2021 - SACSCOC Vice President Advisory Visit
• Summer 2021 - Finalize Compliance Certification
• September 2021 - Submit Compliance Certification
• November 2021 - Off-Site Peer Review by SACSCOC
• Spring 2022 - Focused Report/Quality Enhancement Plan Due (6 weeks before On-Site)
• Spring 2022 - On-Site Peer Review by SACSCOC
• September 2022 - Response Report
• December 2022 - Final Vote on Reaffirmation

QEP Timeline

• Summer 2019 - Formalize Topic Selection Process
• Fall 2019 - Select Topic and Name QEP Director
• December 2019 - Director Attends SACSCOC Annual Meeting
• Spring 2020 - QEP Director Develops Draft Plan
• Fall 2020 - Formation of Committee and Review of Draft Plan
• Spring 2021 - Finalize Plan
• Fall 2021 - Finalize Report
• Spring 2022 - QEP Submission Report (6 weeks old before On-Site)