1. SACSCOC Fifth-Year Readiness Audit
Review of Process for the Accreditation Review Team

2. Why a Fifth-Year Interim Review?
Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
Reg (c)(2) Calls for accrediting agencies having an effective mechanism for conducting, at reasonable intervals, visits to additional locations of institutions that operate more than three additional locations.
Ensure compliance with federal regulations
SACSCOC is required to engage in more periodic reviews.
SACSCOC is required to review any new off‐campus instructional sites approved since an institution’s last reaffirmation.

3. Why a Compliance Readiness Audit?
Stop the flurry of activity immediately before the compliance certification is due
Make the accreditation requirements a part of conducting business as usual

4. Process for Compliance Certification
Two-step Process for
Compliance Certification
Start Writing the Document
Compliance Readiness Audit
Compliance Certification
Two years out
One year out
Due date

5. Fifth-Year Report Components
Five parts but only two will be addressed by the Accreditation Review Team
Part III: Fifth-Year Compliance Certification
Part V: Impact Report of the Quality Enhancement Plan
Reports on Off-Campus Instructional Sites initiated since Last Reaffirmation
Review Summary of Fifth Year Report handout

6. Purpose of Compliance Readiness Audit
Identify compliance issues
Identify documentation issues
Implement solutions
Identify methods to institutionalize activities or processes not currently in place
Review and disseminate all SACSCOC processes, policies and procedures
Develop required procedures and forms
Conduct regular audits to ensure ongoing compliance

7. SACSCOC Organization Overview
SACSCOC Advisory Committee Final review & approval
Office of Assessment and Accreditation
Oversight of compliance certification, QEP, off-site and on-site visits
Ongoing review of SACSCOC Standards & changes
Accreditation Review Team (ART)
Provide written narrative & documentation
Analyze compliance & close the gaps
Accreditation Report Workgroups
See handout of responsibilities
QEP
Technical Support
Institutional Reporting
Faculty Credentialing
Accreditation Editors

8. Functional Committee Structure
Chancellor/Chief of Staff
Institutional Mission
Institutional
Effectiveness
Governance & Administration
Provost & VC for Academic Affairs
QEP
Faculty
SACSCOC Procedures & Policies
Educational Programs
Institutional Effectiveness
Financial Aid
Academic Support Services
Technology & Learning Support
See handout with requirements

9. Functional Committee Structure
VC for Student Affairs
Student Affairs
& Services
Institutional
Effectiveness
VC for Business Affairs
Financial Resources
Institutional
Effectiveness
Physical Resources
Director of Athletics
Institutional Effectiveness
Governance and Administration
VC for University Advancement
Institutional Effectiveness
Governance and Administration
See handout with requirements

10. Responsibilities of the Accreditation Review Team
Interpret core requirements, comprehensive standards, and federal regulations included in the Principles of Accreditation (
Identify and evaluate evidence to support compliance with the above
Lead working groups on particular standards and work with subject matter experts in those areas
Prepare draft narrative of compliance

11. Responsibilities of the Accreditation Review Team (cont.)
Work collaboratively to identify, develop, communicate, implement, and assess policies and procedures needed for compliance
Conduct the analysis of compliance to ascertain the extent of compliance
Certify the quality and integrity of data and information

12. Guideline Meetings Preparing responses Data-Gathering log
Common issues with 18 areas

13. Follow-up Meetings Identification of potential issues
Compliance or documentation issues
Actions to be taken
Identification of all participants
Who has decision-making responsibility?
Who can coordinate writing the narrative?
Who else should be involved?

14. Color-coded alert scheme to track progress during readiness audit
September Status
December Status

15. Timeline 2016 conduct the Compliance Readiness Audit
begin and complete the Compliance Certification document writing process
2018 address changes made to the Principles of Accreditation which impact the Fifth-Year Report
2019 submit the Fifth-Year Report in mid- March

16. Why begin an audit if the Principles of Accreditation will be changed?
More than a year is required to audit, problem solve, organize, write, review, and edit
What might changes be?
Redundancy will be addressed
Removal of unnecessary standards for continuing members
At a minimum, four of the 18 areas will be impacted
CS Institutional Effectiveness: Educational Programs, to include Student Learning Outcomes
CS 3.13 Policy Compliance
FR 4.1 Student Achievement
QEP

17. Questions