At my invitation, Northwest Vista’s Liaison from SACS (the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools and our accreditation body), Dr. Mark Smith, will be visiting us February 13 to 15.

I have invited Dr. Smith to come and share his insight regarding our latest accreditation monitoring report as well as to share with various faculty and staff members general information about accreditation in preparation for beginning our 2016 accreditation cycle. 

Some Basic Information

Under current SACS requirements, each institution must gain re-accreditation every 10 years. That process involves showing compliance with SACS standards and developing a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The process includes an off-site review, following by an on-site visit. Northwest Visit received its 10 year re-accreditation in 2006.

Five years into the cycle an interim report must be provided to include a less extensive compliance review and a 5 year QEP report. Northwest Vista submitted its five-year report in September 2011. As a result of the compliance review, there were several areas that needed further work. In September 2012, a report was submitted addressing those areas. In January 2013, we received a letter indicating that three areas require additional documentation (by September 2013) to demonstrate compliance. Those areas related to the following standards:

• 3.3.1.1 The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of the results in each of the following areas: (Institutional effectiveness) educational programs, to include student learning outcomes.
• 4.1 The institution evaluates success with respect to student achievement consistent with its mission. Criteria may include: enrollment data; retention, graduation, course completion, and job placement rates; state licensing examinations; student portfolios; or other means of demonstrating achievement of goals. (Student achievement)
• 4.5 The institution has adequate procedures for addressing written student complaints and is responsible for demonstrating that it follows those procedures when resolving student complaints.

We have formed teams that will be leading the process of addressing questions raised in each of the three areas. During Dr. Smith’s visit he will meet with each of those teams in an advisory capacity as well as with other groups to share his knowledge of and perspectives on the accreditation process.

On Friday morning, February 15 from 8:30 to 9:30 in Huisache Hall 113, Dr. Smith will make a general presentation on accreditation to faculty and staff who want to attend. Among other things, he will share information on the accreditation standards that give the institution the most trouble. Please feel free to attend that session.

Here are several documents pertinent to accreditation and to Mark Smith’s visit, should you wish to gain more insight into SACS processes.

• SACS Principles of Accreditation:  http://sacscoc.org/pdf/2012PrinciplesOfAcreditation.pdf.
• SACS Accreditation Resource Manual: http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/Resource%20Manual.pdf.

• January 2013 SACS Letter: [file 2]
• Schedule For Dr. Mark Smith Visit: [file 1]

Regarding Dr. Smith’s visit, if there is a session you would like to attend with Dr. Smith’s, just let me know or send a message to Minerva.