Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) recently celebrated an important step in the accreditation process from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Although both Southwest Georgia Technical College and Moultrie Technical College were accredited by SACSCOC prior to their July 1, 2015 merger, and granted full accreditation for the merged College effective July 1, 2015, the new College was required complete an additional accreditation process by hosting a Merger/Consolidation Substantive Change Committee. Earlier this year, SRTC officials received great news from the visiting Committee who spent November 15-19, 2015 reviewing procedures, interviewing faculty, staff, and students, and visiting instructional sites throughout the College’s seven county service delivery area. The Committee concluded their weeklong visit without any recommendations or areas of non-compliance for the College. The results of the Substantive Change Committee’s report were taken under consideration by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees, and it was announced on Thursday, June 16th that SRTC would be granted continued accreditation.
SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. The Commission’s mission is the enhancement of educational quality throughout the region and it strives to improve the effectiveness of institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites approved by the Commission on Colleges that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees. The Commission also accepts applications from other international institutions of higher education.
“Obtaining accreditation is of paramount importance for any higher education institution. Although we felt very good about where we stood after the initial Substantive Change Committee accreditation visit in November for our newly merged college, it is wonderful to receive official word from the respective VP of SACSCOC. We know that we provide excellent instruction and services to our students and this successful visit was a result of a lot of hard work by our faculty and staff and they are to be commended. All of us at SRTC are very proud of this momentous achievement and look forward to continuing to serve our current, future, and former students to the highest level possible,” commented Dr. Craig Wentworth, SRTC President.
All institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) are required to undergo a fifth year review for accreditation and then every ten years. The Commission’s review of institutions between decennial reaffirmation reviews are in accordance with policies governing fifth-year interim reviews.
The Commission reaffirms the accreditation of an institution as a totality. This accreditation extends beyond the parent campus to include all centers, branches, campuses, or other sites at which postsecondary degree or non-degree work is offered as well as all work offered through distance learning and correspondence education. The institution must include the review of all its operations in its Compliance Certification and the Commission will review them during the institution’s reaffirmation. Accreditation is an on-going process and there are requirements to maintain accreditation.
Dr. Debbie Goodman, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and the College’s accreditation liaison, stated, “Hundreds of hours of preparation, planning, and hard work by all of the faculty and staff at SRTC went into making this accreditation process a success. All SACSCOC accredited schools are held to the highest standard of integrity and academic rigor. This accreditation only reiterates that SRTC is successful in fulfilling its mission and is a quality institution with exceptional faculty and staff delivering comprehensive instruction and the highest level of services for our students.”
For more information on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, visit their website at www.sacscoc.org.
SRTC offers over 155 degree, diploma, and certificate programs that are designed to get you quickly into your desired career, and 27 general education courses that transfer to the University System of Georgia institutions and 19 private colleges and universities in Georgia. SRTC has instructional sites located in Ashburn, Cairo, Camilla, Moultrie, Thomasville, Tifton, and Sylvester for the convenience of our students. The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. For the most up-to-date information on registration, class dates, and program offerings, log on to www.southernregional.edu.
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