The University accreditation was last reaffirmed in 2003. The official kick-off of Southwestern’s reaffirmation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) was held February 7, 2011. Southwestern is in the Class of 2013, which means that final determination of the university’s accreditation will be decided in June 2013.

To complete the Certification of Compliance for reaffirmation, President Jake Schrum has appointed the following teams:

Leadership Team: Has ultimate responsibility for Certifying Compliance with the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation.

Jake B. Schrum, Chief Executive Officer, Chair
Ronald L. Swain, Accreditation Liaison, Vice Chair
James W. Hunt, Chief Academic Officer
Richard L. Anderson, Chief Finance Officer
Gerald Brody, Vice President for Student Life
Beverly Jones, University Chaplain
Joseph King, Vice President for Innovation
John McCann, QEP Director
C. Richard McKelvey, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Thomas Oliver, Vice President for Enrollment Services
Francie Schroeder, Executive Assistant to the President

Compliance Certification Team: Is responsible for writing the narrative and producing the list of evidence to comply with the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation.

Michelle Achacoso, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment
Elma F. Benavides, Associate Vice President for Human Resources
Lynne Brody, Dean, Library Services
Deborah Brown, Chief of Police
Julie A. Cowley, Associate Vice President for Academic Administration
Monty Curtis, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services
Michael DeLance, Director of Campus Safety and Risk Management
Dirk Early, Professor of Economics, Associate Dean of the Brown College of Arts and Sciences
Kent Huntsman, Associate Vice President for Development
Paul J. Gaffney, Dean of The Sarofim School of Fine Arts
James Gaeta, Director of Financial Aid
Mike Leese, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
Gary L. Logan, Associate Vice President for Finance
Dinorah Martinez-Anderson, Director of Health Services
Robert D. Mathis, Associate Vice President for Facilities and Campus Services
John McCann, Assistant Dean of Faculty Development and Sponsored Programs
Glada C. Munt, Associate Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
Kimberly Murphy, Director of Academic Success and Advising
Robert C. Paver, Associate Vice President for Information Technology Services
Judy Sonnenberg, Director of Counseling and Health Services
David H. Stones, Registrar
Roger Young, Director of Career Services

Internal Review Team: Is responsible for evaluating the narratives and evidence for compliance and providing feedback to the Leadership and Compliance Certification Teams.

Michelle Achacoso, Director of Institutional Research & Assessment
Alexandra Anderson, Associate Director of Career Services
Elma Benavides, Associate Vice President for Human Resources
Dirk Early, Associate Dean of Brown College of Arts and Sciences
Paul Gaffney, Dean, School of Fine Arts
Justin Gould, Director of Gift and Estate Planning
Stephen Marble, Social Sciences
John McCann, Assistant Dean of Faculty Development and Academic Assessment
Eileen Meyer Russell, School of Fine Arts
Derrick Mueller, Associate Director of Admission/Coord. of Athletic Recruiting
Emily Niemeyer, Natural Sciences
Elisabeth Piedmont-Marton, Humanities
Grace Pyka, Assistant Director of Alumni & Parent Relations
Derek Timourian, Director of Intramural and Recreational Activities
Gena Turner, Senior Executive Secretary Enrollment Services

Xitracs User Group: Is responsible for inputting the narratives and lists of evidence for the Certification of Compliance.

Stefanie Alvarez, Student Life
Barbara Jean, Provost Office
LaToya Jenkins, President’s Office
Susan Stubbs, Institutional Advancement
Diana Taylor, Fiscal Affairs
Gena Turner, Admissions
Christine Vasquez, Provost Office

Key Dates in the Process are:

1. February 7, 2011 – Compliance Certification Orientation and Kick-off

2. March/April 2011 – Review of the Core Requirements narratives and evidence
1. Core Requirement narratives and evidence due – March 28, 2011
2. Review and feedback on submissions – April 4, 2011
3. Response to call to serve on the QEP Committee - March 29, 2011
4. Appointments to QEP Committee - April 1, 2011

3. May 2011 – Review of the Comprehensive Standards narratives and evidence
1. Comprehensive Standard narratives and evidence due – May 9, 2011
2. Review and feedback on submissions – May 16, 2011
3. QEP Proposal development begins - May, 2011

4. August 2011 – Review of Federal Requirements narratives and evidence
1. Federal Requirement narratives and evidence due – August 8, 2011
2. Review and feedback on submissions – August 15, 2011

5. September 2011 – Second review of the Core Requirements narratives and evidence
1. Core Requirement narratives and evidence due – September 19, 2011
2. Review and feedback on submissions – September 26, 2011

6. October 2011 – Second review of the Comprehensive Standard narratives and evidence
1. Comprehensive Standard narratives and evidence due – October 10, 2011
2. Review and feedback on submissions – October 17, 2011

7. November 2011 – Second review of the Federal Requirements narratives and evidence
1. Federal Requirement narratives and evidence due – November 7, 2011
2. Review and feedback on submissions – November 14, 2011

8. December 2011 – External Review of Compliance Certification (optional)
1. Submit document to external reviewers after the second round of internal reviews – September, October, November
2. Feedback from external reviewers – October, November, December

9. January, February 2012 – Final edits and compilation of the Certification of Compliance narratives and evidence

10. March 1, 2012 - Southwestern University submits its Certification of Compliance to SACSCOC and to the Off-Site Review Committee

11. April, 2012 - QEP Proposal completed.

12. May, 2012 – Off-Site Review completed

13. September 1, 2012 – Southwestern University submits its QEP and Focused Report

14. October 30 – November 1, 2012 – SACS On-Site Review Committee visit and report

15. March, 2013 – Response to On-Site Committee Report (five months after visit)

16. June, 2013 – Commission Acts on Southwestern University’s reaffirmation.

Dr. Ron Swain is the University’s SACSCOC liaison and will be managing the process. The University has selected Xitracs College Accreditation Software to create the documents and to produce the Certificate of Compliance. Nancy Schutz will be the Xitracs system administrator.

Over the coming months there will be periodic reports to the University community about our progress in complying with and reporting on the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation. If you have any questions about the process please contact Dr. Ron Swain at swainr or X1456.


Nancy Schutz schutzn@southwestern.edu