Substantive Changes

Substantive changes require

and the submission deadlines for each are determined by

Carefully review the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy and Procedures for guidance.

January 1, 2022: Deadline to submit substantive changes to be implemented July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022, requiring approval by the Executive Council of the SACSCOC Board of Trustees.
Note: The SACSCOC office is closed and does not receive mail or deliveries from noon Wednesday, December 22, 2021, until 8:30 a.m. Monday, January 4, 2022 (winter holiday).

March 15, 2022: Deadline to submit substantive changes requiring approval by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees in June 2022. Carefully review the Substantive Change Policy and Procedures to determine if a substantive change type requires Board approval at a regularly scheduled biannual meeting or if the change can be approved by the Executive Council of the Board. See also “Board review pathways” and “Off-campus Instructional Site Approval” by extensive review in the substantive change policy.

Please plan accordingly.

The SACSCOC Board of Trustees approved revisions, clarifications, and technical corrections to the Substantive Change Policy and Procedures in June 2021 and in March 2021 following the major revision in December 2020. Reload your browser to ensure you are reading the most recent version.
- Summaries of the June 2021 and March 2021 revisions are on pp. 87-88 of the policy (Appendix C: Summary of Recent Changes).
- A redline version of the June 2021 revision is available.
- Topic-specific webinars and other recorded presentations are available on this webpage.
- A policy crosswalk compares the previous policy with the revised (2020) policy.

Effective July 1, 2021, substantive change submissions may be sent by carrier directly to Dr. Kevin Sightler, Director of Substantive Change, SACSCOC, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097. Don’t email and don’t send copies to other staff: send one original to substantive change only.
Due to unreliability, sending materials by U.S. Postal Service is discouraged. This especially applies to submissions for approval to start (versus notifications and closures).
If the coronavirus pandemic will delay implementation of an approved substantive change more than two years after approval, you may request an extension by submitting an Implementation Extension Request Due to COVID-19, subject to SACSCOC Board of Trustees approval.
Reminders:
- Substantive changes cannot be submitted by email to the President or to staff members.

How to Write a Substantive Change Prospectus
Date, time, and registration information TBA; tentatively planned for July
Institutional Contingency Teach-out Plan
Date, time, and registration information TBA; tentatively planned for July
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Adapting to the Revised Substantive Change Policy (Recording courtesy LEAP Texas, April 2021)
New Substantive Change Policy Video [MP4] and handout [PDF] (Recorded at the SACSCOC Annual Meeting, December 2020)
Off-campus Instructional Site Approvals [MP4] and handout [PDF]. This webinar covers the approval criteria and process — including the new extensive review and limited review pathways — for off-campus instructional sites / additional locations. (Recorded June 4, 2021)
Positioning for Success: Institutional Practices for Managing Substantive Change (Recording courtesy Watermark, July 2019; registration required)
Substantive Change (Recording courtesy Tennessee Accreditation Network; September 2020)
Substantive Change Policy: Selected Topics [MP4] and handout [PDF]. This webinar covers an overview of the revised policy (2020, as amended) and the previous policy, a general review of procedures, new programs, and prospectus development. (Recording courtesy Virginia Regional Accreditation Symposium and James Madison University; August 5, 2021)
Substantive Change Restriction [MP4] and handout [PDF]. This webinar covers the new Substantive Change Restriction status that creates additional or different substantive change requirements for institutions meeting defined criteria. (Recorded June 18, 2021)