[Clinton, N.C.] – Sampson Community College (SCC) is pleased to announce that it has received reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)— joining the 2024 class of reaffirmed colleges and universities in December. This reaffirmation will provide regional accreditation to SCC throughout the next ten years.
Accreditation by SACSCOC signifies that the institution has a mission appropriate to higher education; has resources, programs, and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain that mission; and maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees its offers, and that indicate whether it is successful in achieving its stated objectives.
According to Blair Hairr, Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs at SCC, the reaffirmation process is essentially two years of preparation to include an off-site review of the College’s compliance report, narrating the College’s compliance with SACSCOC core requirements and standards. Additionally, a review team from other colleges and universities completes two full days of on-site interviews and campus tours, ensuring the written report is consistent with their findings.
As the accreditation liaison, Hairr’s job is to coordinate the College’s reaffirmation efforts and ensure the process of institutional self-assessment has been “thorough, honest, and forthright” and that the information submitted is “truthful, accurate, and complete.” However, she remarked that the reaffirmation is truly a campus-wide effort, one that would not have been possible without the collaboration of SCC’s dedicated faculty and staff.
“Folks from all over campus helped prepare the written report, provide supporting documentation, participate in interviews, and prepare our grounds for guests,” Hairr explained. “I could not be more proud to be a Viking and look forward to our ongoing commitment to academic excellence and student success.”
Another essential aspect of the reaffirmation process, in addition to a compliance certification and off-site/on-site campus reviews, was the required creation and implementation of a multi-year Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) in accordance with the SACSCOC. A QEP reflects and affirms a college’s commitment to overall institutional quality and effectiveness by developing a formal plan that focuses on a principal issue the institution selects, working to improve specific student learning outcomes and general success.
Co-chaired by Britt Honeycutt, Department Chair of English & Communications; and Dr. Crystal White, Department Chair of Social Sciences & Humanities, Viking CREW: Connected and Ready for Education on the Web was officially launched in August 2023 with a focus on improving online education at SCC. By creating a virtual learning orientation course for all new students and a faculty training course for online instruction, the goal is to improve student success rates for online curriculum courses at SCC by 5%.
Since the Spring 2024 semester, all newly enrolled SCC students have been required to take the Crew Course to prepare them for online learning— and feedback has been positive. Starting in Fall 2024, the first cohort of online faculty will undertake the Navigator Course. The Excellence in Teaching Center – established as a component of the QEP – also offers a Community of Practice resource and discussion page for online teachers, collaborates with campus partners for long-term professional development planning, and will begin offering course evaluations in the future as well.
Honeycutt voiced, “SCC’s Quality Enhancement Plan, the Viking CREW is now in full swing. This is a broad and detailed plan that SCC has committed to carrying out over a ten-year span in effort to make the online experience of our students one of the best in the state. I am proud to be a part of it and look forward to seeing the fruits of this effort.”
In 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation requiring community colleges to pursue accreditation through alternating regional accreditors with each cycle. SCC is fortunate to continue with SACSCOC through 2034.
Dr. Bill Starling, President of SCC, remarked: “We are extremely fortunate that SCC will be recognized with the 2024 class of reaffirmed college and universities by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in December this year. The reaffirmation process requires the collective work of a broad cross section of faculty and staff who must balance this work with their ongoing academic responsibilities. My thanks to all our college community for the cooperative spirit and professional teamwork that allowed us to complete this process and avoid any requirements for additional follow-up or reporting.”
He closed, “I would also like to recognize Dr. Crystal White and Ms. Britt Honeycutt who led the Quality Enhancement Program development which has become an important part of each SACSCOC reaffirmation. And finally, to Ms. Blair Hairr, the VP of Academic and Student Affairs, who led the College’s reaffirmation of the Self-Study Director, the collective thanks of everyone who worked to achieve this milestone for SCC.”
For more information about SCC’s QEP, visit www.sampsoncc.edu/qep
About Sampson Community College: Sampson Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, located in Clinton, NC in Sampson County. The college offers many programs to include two-year degrees, college transfer, continuing education and workforce development options and early college education. SCC is committed to the principles of equal educational and employment opportunities for all.
About Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges: The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices primarily among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virgini
