SACSCOC Reaffirmation 2021

Texas State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the regional accrediting organization for eleven states in the southeastern United States, including Texas. Texas State last went through the reaffirmation of the accreditation process in 2010 and is next scheduled for reaffirmation in 2021. Recently, in September 2020, Texas State submitted its Certification of Compliance document to an off-site review committee that will determine the extent of our compliance with the Principles of Accreditation. In early spring, 2021, Texas State will submit our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), and on March 31, 2021, an on-site SACSCOC visiting committee will meet with us to review our QEP, assess the compliance with core standards, and address any standards not deemed in compliance following the off-site review. Once the process is completed and we are deemed to be in compliance with all standards, Texas State University is expected to be reaffirmed in December 2021.

At the heart of SACSCOC’s philosophy of accreditation, as described in the Principles of Accreditation, is the concept of quality enhancement which assumes that each member institution is engaged in the ongoing improvement of its programs and services and can demonstrate how well it fulfills its stated mission. Accreditation by SACSCOC signifies that the institution (1) has a mission appropriate to higher education, (2) has resources, programs, and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain that mission, and (3) maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees its offers, and that indicate whether it is successful in achieving its stated objectives. The culmination of the accreditation process is a public statement of an institution’s continuing capacity to provide effective programs and services based on agreed-upon requirements. The statement of an institution’s accreditation status with SACSCOC also represents an affirmation of an institution’s continuing commitment to the Commission’s principles and philosophy of accreditation.

Texas State has long participated in process improvement to support student learning and success. We have demonstrated our belief in a “living” strategic plan that is regularly reviewed for progress toward our goals. We have an ongoing system for creating and assessing student outcomes to enhance our academic programs, general education courses, and academic and student services, and administrative support service outcomes. However, the SACSCOC reaffirmation provides an opportunity for us to review all processes related to institutional effectiveness to ensure that the philosophy of quality enhancement is never lost.

Standard 7.2 of the Principles of Accreditation calls for the University to prepare a Quality Enhancement Plan. The QEP focuses on improving some aspect of the educational component of the institution that enhances the quality of student learning. The implementation of this plan represents a strategic and financial commitment on the part of the University. For that reason, we solicited feedback from numerous groups and individuals in choosing our area for improvement.

The SACSCOC website provides important information related to Texas State's reaffirmation of accreditation. If you have questions about the content included in this site, please feel free to contact Dr. Lon Olson, Assistant Vice Provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment and SACSCOC Liaison.