5. SACSCOC Update.

Dr. Stephen L. Pruitt, President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), provided an accreditation update.

Dr. Pruitt reviewed the Commission's guiding priorities:

• Students First, Always
• Strengthening Trust and Transparency
• Modernizing Processes While Maintaining Rigor
• Supporting Innovation and Workforce Alignment
• Positioning the Commission as the Gold Standard

He discussed accreditation purposes, including quality assurance, standards compliance, and the Commission's gatekeeping responsibilities, as well as the characteristics of accreditation and the reaffirmation process.

Dr. Pruitt also reviewed the proposed Accreditation Innovation Modernization (AIM) regulations, including areas of alignment and potential misalignment.

Additional topics included:

• Workforce initiatives
• Reduced-credit-hour degree programs
• Credit transfer consortium efforts
• Proposed revisions to accreditation standards
• Elimination of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
• Potential changes to accreditation review cycles

Regents Fields, Obielodan, Hatchett, and Moyer asked questions and provided comments throughout the discussion.

Dr. Pruitt concluded by encouraging the University to leverage its data, identify a unique niche, embrace its HBCU heritage, and continue making sound strategic decisions.

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