SACSCOC Reaffirmation
In preparing for Reaffirmation of Accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools Commission on Colleges, South Plains College conducted an audit of its
compliance with the Core Requirements, Comprehensive Standards and Federal Requirements
that comprise the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2012). The findings of this audit are reported in SPC's Compliance Certification
Report that was submitted for review to the Commission on Colleges on March 11, 2013.
The report was reviewed by an Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee that determined the
level of compliance for each standard in the Compliance Certification. The committee
prepared a report that contained two elements of their judgement: the declaration
of compliance or non-compliance with the requirement or standard and the narrative
providing the details that support that declaration. The Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee
reviewed SPC's Compliance Certification Report May 7-8, 2013, and requested the College
provide additional documentation demonstrating compliance with seven (7) Comprehensive
Standards and two (2) Federal Requirements.
South Plains College prepared a Focused Report that addressed the compliance documentation
issues and submitted that report to the On-Site Reaffirmation Committee September
6, 2013. The Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee conducted its site visit to South Plains
College October 14-17, 2013 to verify compliance with the Commission on College's
Principles of Accreditation and to review the College's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).
In its Peer Review Report, the On-Site Reaffirmation Committee issued two compliance
recommendations concerning Comprehensive Standard 3.7.1 Faculty Competence and Comprehensive
Standard 3.12.1 Substantive Change. Additionally, the committee found the College's
QEP -- ESP@SPC -- to be acceptable and offered three recommendations for improving
the five-year plan. The Report of the Reaffirmation Committee was finalized and filed
with the SACS Commission on Colleges and South Plains College in December 2013.
In its Peer Review Report, the On-Site Reaffirmation Committee issued two compliance
recommendations concerning Comprehensive Standard 3.7.1 Faculty Competence and Comprehensive
Standard 3.12.1 Substantive Change. Additionally, the committee found the College's
QEP -- ESP@SPC -- to be acceptable and offered three recommendations for improving
the five-year plan. The Report of the Reaffirmation Committee was finalized and filed
with the SACS Commission on Colleges and South Plains College in December 2013.
South Plains College subsequently prepared a Response to the Report of the Reaffirmation
Committee, addressing the compliance and QEP recommendations. This Response Report
was submitted to the Commission on Colleges by March 17, 2014. The report was reviewed
by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees at its June 2014 meeting. South Plains College received
notification of actions taken by the Board of Trustees regarding Reaffirmation of
Accreditation in a letter dated July 9, 2014 from Belle S. Wheelan, Ph.D., President
of SACSCOC, which noted: "The SACSCOC Board of Trustees reaffirmed accreditation.
No additional report was requested."
South Plains College is in the process of implementing its Quality Enhancement Plan
-- ESP@SPC. An Impact Report of the Quality Enhancement Plan on Student Learning and
a Fifth-Year Interim Report will be due spring 2019.
The College's next reaffirmation will take place in 2024.
Reaffirmation Leadership Team
Dr. Robin Satterwhite, President Jim Walker, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Stan DeMerritt, Vice President for Student Affairs -- Quality Enhancement Plan Co-Chair
Teresa Green, Vice President for Finance and Administration
Julie Gerstenberger, Vice President for Institutional Advancement -- Compliance Certification
Chair
Shanna Donica, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment
