To gain or maintain accreditation with the Commission on Colleges, an institution must comply with the standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement and with the policies and procedures of the Commission on Colleges. The Commission on Colleges applies the requirements of its Principles to all applicant, candidate, and member institutions, regardless of type of institution (public, private for-profit, private not-for-profit).
To comply with federal compliance requirements, the Executive Council of the Commission has identified certain standards and requirements in the Principles of Accreditation to be reviewed by the On-Site Review Committee regardless of the Off-Site Committee's determination of compliance. Those standards are as follows: Core Requirements 6.1, 6.2b, and 12.1; Comprehensive Standards 5.4, 7.3 through 8.2c, 10.2 and 10.5, 9.1 and 6.2c, 13.4, and 13.7; and Federal Requirements 8.1 through 13.6.
On the SACSCOC Website:
Please note: SACS requirements change periodically. We make every effort to remain current, but recommend use of the SACS website for specific questions and new information.
- SACSCOC Commission on Colleges homepage
- Principles of Accreditation: Foundation for Quality Enhancement (PDF)
- Institutional Resources
- Committee Resources
- Handbooks Manuals and Guides
- Substantive Changes
- Policies, Guidelines, Good Practices, and Position Statements
- SACSCOC Timeline for Reaffirmation Tracks (PDF)
Resources for Quality Enhancement Plans (QEP):
Resources for Completing Compliance Certification Reports
- SACSCOC: Compliance Certification Document (Word document) Updated January 2018.
- UT System online resources for completing general sections of Compliance Certification Report.