Dr. Holly French Hart Joins SACSCOC as Vice President
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) announced the appointment of Dr. Holly French Hart as Vice President, bringing to the Commission nearly three decades of leadership experience in higher education, accreditation, institutional effectiveness, and workforce development.
Dr. Hart most recently served as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness at Bossier Parish Community College in Louisiana. Throughout her career, she has held numerous leadership positions spanning academic affairs, institutional effectiveness, strategic planning, assessment, and faculty leadership. She is also a 2024–2025 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Holly Hart to the SACSCOC team,” said Dr. Stephen L. Pruitt, President of SACSCOC. “Holly’s extensive experience in accreditation, institutional effectiveness, and workforce education aligns perfectly with our mission of supporting institutional quality and student success. She has built a reputation for collaborative leadership and innovation, and we look forward to the expertise she will bring to our member institutions.”
Dr. Hart is recognized among her peers for advancing workforce development through innovative academic and workforce partnerships that create seamless pathways between credit and noncredit education. Her leadership has expanded high-demand workforce programs in healthcare, broadband, technical trades, and other critical industries while increasing educational opportunities for underserved populations. She is also a Certified Workforce Developer.
In addition to her workforce leadership, Dr. Hart brings extensive accreditation expertise. She has successfully led reaffirmation efforts with no findings of noncompliance, guided substantive change approvals, and served SACSCOC in numerous peer leadership roles, including peer evaluator, committee chair, arbitrator, and Assistant Grant Coordinator for the Commission’s Lumina workforce initiative.
Dr. Hart earned a Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration from the University of Maryland University College, master’s degrees in English and English Education from Penn State University and Florida State University, respectively, and is a graduate of Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education.
As Vice President, Dr. Hart will work closely with member institutions to support accreditation activities and advance the Commission’s mission of assuring educational quality and fostering continuous improvement across higher education.
About SACSCOC
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which will be become The Commission on September 1, 2026, is an institutional accreditor for quality assurance in higher education. SACSCOC accredits institutions that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees, including those offered via distance and correspondence education, and direct assessment within these institutions. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among its members in the United States and international institutions of higher education approved by the SACSCOC Executive Council, Board of Trustees, and the Appeals Committee of the College Delegate Assembly.
The mission of SACSCOC is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions.
Media Contact:
Eric Mann
Director of Public Information
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
emann@sacscoc.org | 404-994-6576