At the recent Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) meeting held Dec. 6-9, Southeastern received reaffirmation of accreditation. Southeastern President William Wainwright was also appointed to the commission’s board of trustees.
The announcements were made at the SACSCOC annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. The accreditation process is an evaluation conducted by institutions outside of Louisiana. Every 10 years, an institution undergoes the process, and every five years, it undergoes a comprehensive review and study. Southeastern’s accreditation now extends until 2035.
Accreditation reaches all aspects of an institution. It includes all factors affiliated with Southeastern’s offered services, facilities and programs. Accreditation by SACSCOC demonstrates that a university meets high academic standards, has sufficient resources, qualified faculty, financial stability and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Eric Skipper said, “It is very important because institutions have to make sure we are doing what SACSCOC tells us to do. This goes from the credentialing of our faculty to our administrative structure. When your own peers say you pass, that is a big deal.”
Dr. Alexandra Anderson, director of assessment and accreditation at Southeastern Louisiana University, provided a detailed overview of the effects on students.
“From a practical standpoint, you need to be accredited to receive student financial aid. That allows us to get student aid as well as transfer credits. So other institutions trust that the credits we have allowed you to transfer to other universities,” Anderson said.
The SACSCOC selects a total of 77 board members to guide the organization and processes. The election is determined by membership, with an estimated 800 delegates. Members serve a three-year term. Each state nominates two sitting presidents.
Wainwright was elected to the board and will represent the Louisiana delegation alongside Stanton McNeely III, president of the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans.
“I am honored to be elected. I was nominated and elected by the delegates. What I am most honored about this is the continuous support for accreditation that our former president, Dr. John Crain, served,” Wainwright said.
The board of trustees’ duties include overseeing the accreditation process for colleges in the South and making final decisions on whether to grant or revoke accreditation, based on agreed-upon standards. They also look at other colleges pursuing membership or reaffirmation, deliberate over policies and elect leaders who represent member institutions.
“In my role on the board, I will have opportunities to be continuously engaged in the growth of the accreditation body itself. I will be deeply engaged in any federal changes that impact the accreditation process,” Wainwright said.
