Summer Institute

About the Institute

The Summer Institute is designed for participants who are new to accreditation or need a refresher to:

• enhance their understanding of accreditation activities and select standards from the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation through case studies and exercises involving interpretation and analysis
• prepare for the development and assessment of a Quality Enhancement Plan

The Summer Institute is a curated learning experience comprised of select sessions which participants choose at the time of registration. The “workshop-style” sessions will feature defined learning outcomes, in-depth discussions and activities, and planned pre-readings/assignments to more fully engage attendees.

The accreditation-related sessions will be facilitated by an accomplished group of peer instructors with expertise in the selected topic and experience serving as peer evaluators/chairs of SACSCOC review committees. This year we will have an additional accreditation-related session facilitated by SACSCOC staff.  Also, on the agenda are Special Interest sessions led by instructors who have presented well-received sessions at the Annual Meeting or are noted contributors to the featured topics.

Participation in the Summer Institute is limited to SACSCOC applicant, candidate, and member institutions and representatives from state higher education systems. 

If you have any questions, please contact us at institute@sacscoc.org.

The 2025 Summer Institute will be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, FL, July 20 – 23, 2025. 

Click here for additional conference details and to register!

Registration will close when we reach capacity (1000 registrants) or June 13, 2025, whichever comes first.

Registration Fee – $1,000

2025 Summer Institute Sessions

Optional Pre-Institute Sessions (Sunday, July 20, 2025)

• Accreditation 101 – $25 (advance registration required)
  9am – 12pm
  
  This session will cover the philosophy of accreditation in the United States, the structure of SACSCOC, and the reaffirmation process for SACSCOC institutions. The facilitator will discuss the Off-Site and On-Site reviews, the Compliance Certification Report and Quality Enhancement Plan as described in the Principles of Accreditation, and key Commission policies, guidelines, and good practices.

• QEP 101 – $25 (advance registration required)
  1:30pm – 4:30pm
  
  The session will provide an overview of the five components of the QEP (topic identification, broad-based support, focus, sufficient resources, and assessment plan), with a focus on assisting those new to accreditation and the QEP. Participants will work in groups to evaluate sample QEP narratives related to each of the five components. Participants are encouraged to come with questions and will have time to workshop their institution’s QEP development, review, implementation, and reporting process.

Breakout Sessions (Monday, July 21, 2025 and Tuesday, July 22, 2025)

Advance registration is required for all breakout sessions on Monday and Tuesday.  At the time of registration, participants will choose between full-day (6-hr) and half-day (3-hr) sessions to attend during the Institute.  The sessions offered on Monday will be repeated on Tuesday.  Topics for this year’s Institute breakout sessions are:

Full-Day Sessions (9am – 4pm) Compliance Requirements for Educational Programs and Policies (Section 10)   Demonstrating Compliance in Student Learning (8.2 a, b, and c)   QEP Topic Development

Half-Day Morning Sessions (9am – 12pm) Compliance Requirements in Student Achievement (8.1) Demonstrating Compliance with Standards 6.1, 6.2 b, 6.3, 6.4, and 6.5 Developing the QEP Impact Report Navigating Substantive Change: A Practical Approach Preparing the QEP for Submission Special Interest Session: AI-Driven Improvement of Learning Outcomes and Assessment

Half-Day Afternoon Sessions (1pm – 4pm) Implementing and Assessing the QEP Compliance Requirements in IE (7.1 and 7.3) Demonstrating Compliance with Standards 6.2 a, c Special Interest Session: Developing Effective Institutional AI Policies and Practices Special Interest Session: Improving Student Achievement and Success Using the Education-to-Workforce Framework

Click here for the session descriptions, instructors, and participant learning outcomes for each session.

Schedule of Activities

(Advance registration required for all sessions.)

Sunday, July 20, 2025

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Registration Check-In
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM	Pre-Institute Session: “Accreditation 101”
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM	Pre-Institute Session: “QEP 101”

Monday, July 21, 2025 and Tuesday, July 22, 2025

7:00 AM – 4:30 PM	Registration Check-In
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM	Participant Breakfast
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM	Selected Full-Day Session (morning portion) or Selected Half-Day Morning Session
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM	Participant Luncheon
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Selected Full-Day Session (afternoon portion) or Selected Half-Day Afternoon Session

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM	Participant Breakfast
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM	Information Sessions with SACSCOC Vice Presidents

Hotel Reservations

Reservations at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center at the conference rate ($212 plus taxes and fees) can only be made after registration for the Institute has been completed.  Please note the following:

Connections Housing is the only official housing bureau associated with and authorized to conduct transactions for SACSCOC. While other companies may contact you offering to book your hotel accommodations, they are not affiliated with SACSCOC. Entering into financial agreements with these companies can have costly consequences. SACSCOC is not connected in any way with other companies claiming to represent or provide hotel reservation services.

If you have any questions, please contact us at institute@sacscoc.org.

Volunteer at the Summer Institute!

Stepping up to volunteer at the Summer Institute is a fun way to network with colleagues from other institutions while having a unique perspective on the participant experience. It’s also a great step towards learning more about the behind-the-scenes work to successfully host a SACSCOC conference. The required commitment and responsibilities are small, and the rewards are great.

Summer Institute Volunteer Session Monitors will be responsible for assisting instructors and attendees with tasks such as handing out presentation materials, communicating session issues via text message, and pointing participants toward frequently accessed areas and information. Volunteers should be flexible and willing to serve as greeters, ushers, and in other roles as needed.

We are seeking SACSCOC’s most dedicated institutional representatives to serve as Volunteer Session Monitors on Monday, July 21 & Tuesday, July 22 from 7:30 am – 5:00 pm (including lunch and two breaks). We prefer volunteers able to serve a full day both days but will gladly accept those available for one-day shifts as well.

To volunteer, please complete the Volunteer Interest Form. If you have any questions, please contact us at institute@sacscoc.org.

Materials from Previous Institutes

Future Institutes