Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) recently welcomed a Substantive Change Committee from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) on their Bainbridge Campus as a final part of the acquisition process of the former Bainbridge State College. The Substantive Change Committee spent October 30 through November 1, 2018, reviewing programs, reviewing college procedures, interviewing faculty, staff, and students, and visiting the Bainbridge Campus, Blakely Campus, and three area high schools in the newly added counties (Miller, Decatur, Early, Seminole) to SRTC’s existing service delivery area.
SRTC received great news from the visiting committee as they concluded their weeklong visit with the committee’s initial report containing no formal recommendations or areas of non-compliance for the college, which means that SRTC was found in compliance with the SACSCOC Principals of Accreditation reviewed during a Substantive Change visit. The report of this visiting committee represent a preliminary assessment of the institution at this time; final action on the report rests with the SACSCOC Board of Trustees for a June of 2019 vote.
“This is a significant step for SRTC as it means we can now move forward with expanding our offering of academic programs in the Bainbridge area and by having the Bainbridge Campus approved by SACSCOC means students taking classes in Bainbridge and Blakely have access to federal financial aid and the opportunity to transfer their courses to other SACSCOC accredited institutions if needed,” commented Dr. Ron O’Meara, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison.
This committee’s visit signifies the final phase in the acquisition of the campus of the former Bainbridge State College. “Obtaining and maintaining accreditation is of paramount importance for any higher education institution. Proper accreditation is not only a significant achievement for our college, but also a confirmation by our college’s accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), that Southern Regional Technical College meets high standards of educational quality and services. We are proud to provide excellent instruction and services to our students as a result of a lot of hard work by our faculty and staff,” commented Dr. Craig Wentworth, SRTC President.
SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. The Commission’s mission is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community. SACSCOC 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 SACSCOC Board of Trustees that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees. The Commission also accepts applications from other international institutions of higher education. 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 Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties 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. Spring semester 2019 begins January 7th. Don’t wait, enroll today!