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SACS Reaffirmation

One of the most important events in the history of PHCC is about to occur. The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) will determine if our accreditation will be reaffirmed. SACS accredits over 800 institutions of higher education in 11 southeastern states that are overseen by the Commission on Colleges. Accreditation indicates that the college complies with basic standards and is committed to ongoing improvement by following an established cycle of planning, assessment, and quality enhancement. Perhaps the most paramount aspect of accreditation is that it recognizes the college’s focus on student learning and its effectiveness in supporting and enhancing student learning.

Accreditation significantly impacts PHCC’s students, faculty and staff. For example, accreditation protects the public from fraudulent practices like “diploma mills.” Credits from an accredited institution are transferable to and from other accredited institutions. Without accreditation, credits earned by PHCC students would not be accepted by other regionally accredited institutions. PHCC’s degrees and certifications would be worthless if the college was not accredited. Only accredited institutions are permitted to award federal financial aid to students. Academic programs, student services, and fiscal operations are considered as being inferior at non-accredited institutions.

The information below will provide you with additional information and evidence to support the PHCC’s commitment to have its accreditation reaffirmed by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools:

4/8/2009
Compliance Certification report
The Compliance Certification is the document prepared by the college which contains narratives and evidence to demonstrate that the college is in compliance with core requirements, comprehensive standards, and federal requirements established by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

8/4/2009
Quality Enhancement Plan: Get eSmart!
The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is an integral part of the reaffirmation of accreditation process. A successful QEP must describe a course of action that the college will take for institutional improvement crucial to enhancing educational quality that is directly related to student learning As a core requirement, the QEP must be found acceptable by the Commission on Colleges’ On-Site Review Committee for an institution to retain its SACS accreditation. The college’s QEP, “Get eSmart: Using Technology to Enhance Instruction and Streamline Student Development Services,” is designed to increase student retention and success in online courses; enable students to increasingly integrate online student services as part of their academic planning process; and assist students in utilizing myPHCC for technologically enhanced learning in face-to-face courses.

8/27/2009
Focused Report
The Focused Report provides the college with an opportunity to address findings of the Commission on Colleges’ Off-Site Review Committee by providing updated and additional documentation regarding its determination of compliance with comprehensive standards in question. The Focused Report is made available to members of the Commission on Colleges’ On-Site Review Committee for review prior to their visit to the college October 13-15, 2009. The Focused Report enables the On-Site Review Committee to review outstanding compliance issues in advance of its visit to the college so as to provide the committee with ample time to concentrate on the acceptability of the QEP.

SACS Facts

SACS Facts is a newsletter that provides valuable information about various aspects of the reaffirmation of accreditation process conducted by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

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