UWG News Archive

UWG receives SACS reaffirmation

December 12, 2003

CARROLLTON, GA - The Southern Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS) has reaffirmed the accreditation for the University of West Georgia for the next 10-year period, Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president, announced.

The annual meeting of the Commission on Colleges/SACS was held Dec. 6-9 in Nashville and the results of UWG’s reaffirmation process were announced during the College Delegate Assembly business meeting.

“I am very grateful for the outstanding leadership for the SACS reaffirmation process which came from Dr. Thomas J. Hynes, vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Ara Volkan, chairman of the self-study process, as well as the faculty, the academic and support departments, and all the committee chairs and members,” Sethna said.

“I’m proud of your institution and of your colleagues,” University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith told Sethna upon hearing the announcement.

SACS accreditation examines every aspect of a University or college — academics, faculty credentials, student records, administration, student services, finance, business, facilities, advancement, alumni and many more. There are 496 “MUST” statements in the Criteria for Accreditation. If an institution is deemed not to be in compliance with a “MUST” statement, it generates a recommendation.

According to Sethna, a recommendation is generated even if 95 percent of departments do very well on any “MUST” statement and only a couple of departments are non-compliant.

“We have been asked to complete a follow-up report on four SACS areas, so some work yet remains to be done,” Sethna noted. “However, given that there are 496 “MUST” statements listed in the SACS manual on which an institution must be in compliance, a follow-up on only four out of 496 areas is nothing short of outstanding.”

In addition to recommendations, SACS teams may also offer commendations, which Sethna pointed out are most unusual and most visits do not result in commendations. UWG was commended for technology resources, equipment and support which the team stated were “far above that of similar institutions.”

The process began in November of 2000 with a kick-off visit by Dr. John Dwyer, associate executive director of SACS and UWG’s staff liaison. A two-year self study process was culminated by a site visit by a SACS Visitation Committee in January 2003.

Hynes noted that the reaffirmation of UWG’s accreditation by SACS speaks very positively about the quality of the institution's collective actions.

“On campus during the last three years, we have commented that accreditation gave the University a chance to reflect on all of its current activities, and help plan for the future,” he said. “An incredible number of colleagues worked hard and well. The very few follow-up actions left will allow us to build on the past strengths and construct opportunities for further improvements.”

Sethna noted that many individuals beyond the campus played key roles in this reaffirmation process.

“The Chancellor and Senior Vice Chancellor of the University System of Georgia were strong supporters, the Chairman of the Board of Regents, Gov. Joe Frank Harris, and Regent Don Leebern came personally to meet the Team, as did members of the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Board, and the list goes on,” he said. “I am very proud of the quality of the work that you do, the programs you run, and the great students we have the honor of serving. So should you be.”

Sethna expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in the process.

“Without a doubt, an undertaking of this magnitude could not have been successful were it not for the exceptionally fine work of hundreds of colleagues,” he concluded. “For all this help, I thank each one of you most sincerely. Our University is in your debt.”

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