Commission Reaffirms Accreditation for RU

Radford University's accreditation has been reaffirmed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges, the commission announced at the close of its annual meeting, held this year in Dallas.

The SACS reaccreditation process takes place every 10 years with periodic evaluations, including a five-year impact report. RU will submit its five-year report in spring 2017.

Radford President Penelope W. Kyle, who attended the SACS meeting with other university officials in early December, said, "This reaffirmation underscores that Radford University's educational goals are sound and that we are on the right path to continue providing the best possible academic programs and student services to the Commonwealth and beyond. It is a strong endorsement by our peers as well as the best minds in higher education across the nation, inspiring us to begin 2013 with renewed energy and dedication."

The commission's reaffirmation of accreditation confirms that a university has a mission "appropriate for higher education";  has the resources, programs and services to sustain its mission; has a commitment to maintaining and supporting clear educational objectives that are "consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees it offers"; and has been "successful in achieving its stated objectives."

Part of the reaccreditation process is creation of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which requires an institution to examine its current policies and practices, focus on an aspect of its mission and design a plan to enhance it. The theme for Radford's QEP is the concept of scholar-citizen, centered on how academia can contribute significantly to the broader society.

The SACS Commission on Colleges is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. Its mission is to enhance educational quality through the region and to "improve the effectiveness of institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students."

SACS serves institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, as well as Latin America and other international sites approved by the Commission on Colleges that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degrees.

Dec 22, 2012
Deanne Estrada
(540) 831-6713
djestrada@radford.edu