Wallace Community College-Dothan (WCCD) was found to be in complete compliance, with no recommendations, at the conclusion of the recent Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) on-site reaffirmation of accreditation visit. SACSCOC is the body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.
The College received the best review possible, with the committee finding WCCD in compliance with all standards and offering no recommendations for the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Advising, Next Steps for Success.
“The SACSCOC reaffirmation of accreditation is an important process that gives the College an opportunity to carefully examine all of its policies, practices, and procedures,” said Dr. Denise Stanford-Bowers, WCCD Reaffirmation Director and Associate Dean, General Academics. “A review which ends with no recommendations is a vote of confidence to all of our stakeholders that the Wallace Community College-Dothan faculty and staff are committed daily to providing quality educational services to our students.”
SACSCOC accreditation ensures that the College’s quality of education, finances, support services, faculty credentials, and facilities are deemed in compliance with accreditation standards and allows WCCD to participate in federal (Title IV) and state financial aid programs.
“This achievement is the result of the incredible work of our faculty and staff, and the outstanding job they do. We believe that every day is a SACSCOC day, and the finding of no recommendations validates our commitment to excellence,” said WCCD President Dr. Linda Young.
As part of the reaffirmation process, in March 2021, WCCD submitted a Compliance Certification to demonstrate how the institution meets all SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation. Following the off-site review of the compliance document in April, 13 standards were identified as needing additional information for review. The College then provided a Focused Report, to clarify compliance with those standards, and submitted its QEP. The QEP identifies an area of the institution to enhance overall quality and effectiveness and focuses on an issue that is important to improve student learning and/or success at WCCD. The College selected advising as the focus of its QEP.
“The College could not be more pleased with the outcome of our reaffirmation of accreditation visit. Each day we strive to provide the best education experience and support services so that our students can not only achieve their academic goals but also achieve their career goals. We succeed when our students succeed,” relayed Dr. Ashli Wilkins, WCCD Vice President, ISCD Dean, and SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison.
WCCD’s official 10-year reaffirmation of its accreditation will be voted on by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees at its June 2022 meeting.
For more information about SACSCOC accreditation, visit www.sacscoc.org . To learn more about the QEP, visit https://www.wallace.edu/campus-life-resources/qep/ .