Welcome from the President

Dear Members, Colleagues, and Visitors:

Welcome to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) website. What you find here represents our deep heritage, enduring mission, and bold vision for the future.

A Proud History of Academic Stewardship

SACSCOC traces its roots to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, founded in 1895, with the Commission on Colleges formally established in 1917 to assess and uphold quality within southern higher education institutions. Since that time, we have stewarded accreditation for colleges and universities across eleven southern U.S. states, as well as for select international institutions.

 Our Mission and Core Values

Our mission is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of our member institutions through an accountable and transparent peer-review process. Our six core values—Integrity, Continuous Quality Improvement, Peer Review/Self‑Regulation, Accountability, Student Learning, and Transparency—are the bedrock of everything we undertake.

Strategic Priorities and Forward Momentum

Drawing from themes introduced in our First 100‑Day Announcement, here’s how we plan to build on our strong foundation:

  • Students First, Always: Accreditation decisions, standards, and support services will be centered on promoting student success and learning outcomes.
  • Accountability with Support: We are committed to refining our processes—such as reaffirmation reviews, fifth-year interim reports, and substantive change evaluations—to be fair, transparent, and efficient.
  • Excellence with Innovation: We believe in pushing for excellence by allowing for innovative approaches to support our students.
  • Strengthening Our Narrative: Through proactive communications and storytelling, we aim to spotlight institutional successes and take ownership of the narrative around accreditation.
  • Engaging All Partners: Our engagement will expand across institutional types to ensure all voices are heard.

What You’ll Find Here

On this site, you’ll discover:

  • A directory of accredited institutions and their current status
  • Access to our Principles, Resource Manuals, policies, and handbooks
  • Listings of our elected Board of Trustees and College Delegate Assembly representatives
  • Links to accrediting bodies, CHEA, and ASPA
  • News, event announcements, and archives of the President’s communiqués

This portal is intended to foster transparency and ease of access for institutions, peer reviewers, and the public. We welcome your feedback on how we might better serve you or enhance the user experience here.

Together, we can honor our legacy while positioning SACSCOC for the 21st century. On behalf of the Commission, I look forward to working in partnership with you to uphold our shared commitment to excellence in higher education.

Warm regards,

Stephen L. Pruitt, Ph.D.
President
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesDr. Pruitt’s Bio