Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

Advisory

SACS Reaffirmation Process Begins

The University of Alabama began preparing for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools by forming a Leadership Team this summer and a Compliance Certification Team that met for the first time just after the 2003-04 academic year began. Reaffirmation of accreditation from a regional accrediting body is a requirement for the University to be qualified to provide federal funds to support students' educations.

The Compliance Certification Team will review 12 core requirements, 53 comprehensive standards, and 8 federal mandates for reaffirmation, and will determine whether the University is in compliance, partial compliance or non-compliance with each. The team will prepare a Compliance Certification Report that must be submitted to SACS by August 2004.

During the last SACS reaffirmation, in 1993, the University prepared a 258-page self-study report. SACS has redesigned the reaffirmation process so that the Compliance Certification Report will rely heavily on information that will be collected and posted on UA's SACS Web site.

Many members of the faculty and staff will be asked to support the SACS reaffirmation process in the coming months as the University will assemble on-line information regarding faculty credentials, course syllabi, academic program objectives and methods for evaluation of learning outcomes.

The Compliance Certification Team is chaired by John Schmitt and John Dew, and includes Phil Beidler, Joe Benson, Milla Boschung, Elva Bradley, Kathleen Cramer, Karen Croneis, Bill Dressler, Reba Essary, Bill Fendley, Priscilla Hancock, Lisa Harris, Marsha Houston, Joanna Hutt, Hank Lazer, Karin Lee, Susan Lucas, Eugene Marsh, Jenelle Marsh, Jonathan Michaelsen, Walt Misiolek, Mike O'Rear, Donna Packa, Yorgo Pasadeos, Rebecca Pow, Samory Pruitt, Ginny Raymond, Nan Restine, Ron Rogers, Carmen Taylor, Roger Thompson, Pat Whetstone and Kevin Whitaker.