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Standards of Accreditation
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Link
to
Report |
Steering
Committee
Member
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Compliance
Review Team
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Section II.
Core Requirements |
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| 2.1 |
The institution has degree-granting
authority from the appropriate government agency or agencies. |
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Anne Crook |
Chair: Anne Crook
Members: Retta Guthrie |
| 2.2 |
The institution has a governing
board of at least five members that is the legal body with specific authority
over the institution. The board is an active policy-making body for the
institution and is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the financial
resources of the institution are adequate to provide a sound educational
program. The board is not controlled by a minority of board members or
by organizations or interests separate from it.Neither the presiding officer
of the board nor the majority of other voting members of the board have
contractual, employment, or personal or familial financial interest in
the institution. A military institution authorized and operated by the
federal government to award degrees has a public board in which neither
the presiding officer nor a majority of the other members are civilian
employees of the military or active/retired military. The board has broad
and significant influence upon the institution’s programs and operations,
plays an active role in policy-making, and ensures that the financial resources
of the institution are used to provide a sound educational program. The
board is not controlled by a minority of board members or by organizations
or interests separate from the board except as specified by the authorizing
legislation. Neither the presiding officer of the board nor the majority
of other voting board members have contractual, employment, or personal
or familial financial interest in the institution. |
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Retta Guthrie |
Chair: Retta Guthrie
Members: Anne Crook
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| 2.3 |
The institution has a chief executive
officer whose primary responsibility is to the institution and who is not
the presiding officer of the board. |
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Anne Crook |
Chair: Anne Crook
Members: Retta Guthrie,
Larry Patrick, Community Chair
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| 2.4 |
The institution has a clearly defined
and published mission statement specific to the institution and appropriate
to an institution of higher education, addressing teaching and learning
and, where applicable, research and public service. |
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Penny Summers |
Chair: Penny Summers
Members: Rebecca Battle-Bryant,
Faith McCurry, Greg Sharpe
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| 2.5 |
The institution engages in ongoing,
integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation
processes that incorporate a systematic review of programs and services
that (a) results in continuing improvement and (b) demonstrates that the
institution is effectively accomplishing its mission. |
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Walt Tobin |
Chair: Walt Tobin
Members: Penny Summers,
Donna Elmore, Bob W.
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| 2.6 |
The institution is in operation
and has students enrolled in degree programs. |
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Bobbie Felder |
Chair: Bobbie Felder
Members: Phyllis Stoudenmire
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2.7
2.7.1 |
The institution
(a)offers one or more degree programs
based on at least 60 semester credit hours or the equivalent at the associate
level; at least 120 semester credit hours or the equivalent at the baccalaureate
level; or at least 30 semester credit hours or the equivalent at the post-baccalaureate,
graduate, or professional level. The institution provides a written justification
and rationale for program equivalency. |
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Walt Tobin |
Chair: Walt Tobin
Members: Eric Ham, Fran
Andrews, Elaine Vincent
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| 2.7.2 |
(b) offers degree programs
that embody a coherent course of study that is compatible with its stated
purpose and is based upon fields of study appropriate to higher education. |
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Walt Tobin |
Chair: Walt Tobin
Members: Eric Ham, Fran
Andrews, Elaine Vincent
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| 2.7.3 |
(c)offers a general education program
at the collegiate level that is (1) a substantial component of each undergraduate
degree, (2)ensures breadth of knowledge, and (3) is based on a coherent
rationale.For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes
a minimum of 15 semester hours or the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs,
a minimum of 30 semester hours or the equivalent. These credit hours are
to be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following
areas: humanities/fine arts; social/behavioral sciences; and natural science/mathematics.
The courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures
specific to a particular occupation or profession. The institution provides
a written justification and rationale for course equivalency. |
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Walt Tobin |
Chair: Walt Tobin
Members: Eric Ham, Fran
Andrews, Elaine Vincent
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| 2.7.4 |
(d) makes arrangements for some
instruction to be provided by other accredited institutions or entities
through contracts or consortia, where appropriate. The institution itself,
however, provides instruction for all course work required for at least
one degree program at each level at which it awards degrees, or provides
an alternative approach to meeting this requirement. The alternative approach
is approved by the Commission on Colleges. In all cases, the institution
demonstrates that it controls all aspects of its educational program. |
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Walt Tobin |
Chair: Walt Tobin
Members: Eric Ham, Fran
Andrews, Elaine Vincent
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| 2.8 |
The number of full-time faculty
members is adequate to support the mission of the institution. The institution
has adequate faculty resources to ensure the quality and integrity of its
academic programs.In addition, upon application for candidacy, an applicant
institution demonstrates that it meets the comprehensive standard for faculty
qualifications. |
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Walt Tobin |
Chair: Walt Tobin
Members: Delura Knight, Guy
Tanner, Fran Andrews
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| 2.9 |
The institution, through ownership
or formal arrangements or agreements, provides and supports student and
faculty access and user privileges to adequate library collections as well
as to other learning/ information resources consistent with the degrees
offered. These collections and resources are sufficient to support all
its educational, research, and public service programs. |
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Walt Tobin |
Chair: Walt Tobin
Members: Jennie Redmond,
Harris Murray, Patti Sonefeld
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| 2.10 |
The institution provides student
support programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission
that promote student learning and enhance the development of its students. |
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Bobbie Felder |
Chair: Bobbie Felder
Members: Jean Rickenbacker,
Phyllis Stoudenmire, Dana
Rickards, Dianne Floyd, James
Carter, Jacquie Walters, Martha
Ann Weeks, Laurie Starnes,
Caroline Wagasky, Tracy Dibble
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| 2.11 |
The institution has a sound financial
base and demonstrated financial stability, and adequate physical resources
to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs
and services. The institution provides the following financial statements:
(a)an institutional audit (as distinct
from a systemwide or statewide audit) and management letter for the most
recent fiscal year prepared by an independent certified public accountant
or an appropriate auditing agency employing the appropriate audit guide; |
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Retta Guthrie |
Chair: Retta Guthrie
Members: Kim Huff
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(b) an annual budget that is preceded
by sound planning, is subject to sound fiscal procedures, and is approved
by the governing board; and |
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Retta Guthrie |
Chair: Retta Guthrie
Members: Kim Huff
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(c) a schedule of changes in unrestricted
net assets, excluding plant and plant related-debt (short and long-term
debt attached to physical assets). |
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Retta Guthrie |
Chair: Retta Guthrie
Members: Kim Huff |
| 2.12 |
The institution has developed an
acceptable Quality Enhancement Plan and demonstrates the plan is part of
an ongoing planning and evaluation process. |
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Warren Yarbrough |
Chair: Warren Yarbrough
QEP Team:
Tracy Dibble, Mike
Hammond, Kristi Marlow, David
Metts, Jody Ott, Walt Tobin,
Sharon Bowman, Rebecca Battle-
Bryant, Youlanda Johnson,
Johnjoe Salazar |
