About SACSCOC and the Reaffirmation Process

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degrees. To maintain accreditation with the Commission on Colleges, an institution must comply with the standards and requirements in The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement  and with the policies and procedures of the Commission on Colleges.

Reaffirmation of accreditation occurs every 10 years. Radford University’s next reaffirmation of accreditation will take place in 2032-33. 

As part of the reaffirmation of accreditation process, Radford will submit 1) a Compliance Certification demonstrating compliance with The Principles of Accreditation: requirements, standards, and federal regulations, 2) an Institutional Summary Form prepared for Commission review, and 3) a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that addresses a focused topic or issue related to enhancing student learning. An Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee, which consists of faculty and staff members from other SACSCOC accredited institutions, will review Radford’s Compliance Certification. Additional documentation may be required after the Off-Site Committee’s review.

An On-Site Reaffirmation Committee, which also consists of faculty and staff members from other SACSCOC accredited institutions, will visit Radford University’s campus. The On-Site Committee evaluates and determines the acceptability of the QEP, reviews areas of non-compliance noted by the Off-Site Committee, reviews standards and requirements related to the criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education, and investigates any additional areas of interest. The On-Site Reaffirmation Committee completes the Report of the Reaffirmation Committee, which is submitted to the Commission.

Following Radford's successful reaffirmation of accreditation in 2023, the university will undergo an interim evaluation and be required to submit a QEP impact report in 2028.