NGU begins decadal reaccreditation process
Posted by The Skyliner on October 1st, 2008Monique Quarles
Staff Writer
North Greenville University is actively in the process of undergoing reaccreditation.
Every 10 years NGU must complete this reaccreditation process.
“All colleges and universities in operation are suppose to go through a reaccreditation process,” Vice President of Academics Dr. Don Dowless said.
The accrediting body for NGU is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
However, this is not the only institution that is reviewed by SACS. They also review Clemson and USC-Columbia, among other schools.
“Universities and colleges throughout the southeast receives their accreditation from SACS,” Dowless said.
The Principles of Accreditation states the rules and regulations SACS has estalished for reviews.
“The institution examines its own programs,” Dowless said.
The reaccreditation process is institution-wide and includes academics as well as non-academic departments such as student services and maintenance.
These departments will have to review and report that they are capable of meeting the criteria.
“I will have to be involved in showing what Christian Studies is doing,” Dr. Walter Johnson, Dean of Christian Studies, said.
The Principles of Accreditation regulations also state that the university must provide a Quality Enhancement Plan. This particular part of the reaccreditation process focuses on one aspect of student learning.
“I am over the Q.E.P.,” Johnson said.
The Q.E.P. is made up of a committee of sixteen members here at the university that selected an area of student learning. They are responsible for developing a plan that enhances students’ learning in that area.
“Enhancing the first year experience was chosen by the committee,” Johnson said.
Surveys from students in the first year experience classes helped the committee to select this area of learning.
“We hope this enhances and makes a difference in students learning,” Johnson said.
When the review of the institution and Q.E.P. is finalized, the reports will be ready to hand over to SACS.
“We will send the reports in to SACS to tell them how we think we are doing,” Dowless said.
Once the reports are in, SACS will ask the committee made up of select individuals from universities and colleges all over the southeast to review the documents.
“The committee will evaluate and see how they think we are doing according to the principles,” Dowless said.
When all is reviewed, the university will then receive a report from SACS, and can choose to respond to that particular report. SACS will then send a committee to visit the university in 2010 in order to perform an on site visit.
“If the university has responded and adopted its Q.E.P it will then be affirmed accreditation for another ten years,” Dowless said.
Tags: Fall 2008, Vol. 108 Fall - Issue 4