Accreditation

Overview

INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND ACADEMIC PLANNING

The Institutional Effectiveness and Academic Planning teams provide leadership on °®°®Ö±²¥'s institutional accreditation and support for discipline specific accreditation requirements including annual reporting to the Florida Board of Governors.

We serve as °®°®Ö±²¥'s liaison to our institutional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), and to the State University System's Board of Governors (BOG) for matters related to: Accreditation and Assessment; the formation and dissolution of new academic programs, centers, and institutes; partnerships with other educational institutions; and, other substantive changes. 

We coordinate the creation of new academic programs, including administration of the intent proposal system and the five-year master academic plan. We also analyze labor market data provided by Burning Glass and coordinate analysis of curricular offerings, providing a central repository for University-level information about academic offerings.

We also facilitate the evaluation of academic programs by assuring the quality of student learning outcomes assessment and facilitating academic program review activities.

°®°®Ö±²¥â€™s accreditation liaison role is split between two individuals. Dr. Christopher Combie (combie@usf.edu) was appointed °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Accreditation Liaison and Cynthia Brown Hernandez (cynthiab@usf.edu) was appointed °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Deputy Accreditation Liaison.

Following is a breakdown of responsibilities by individual. Please note that this is not an all-inclusive list.

Accreditation Liaison Responsibilities:

  • Communications with Accrediting Agency;
  • Advises University Leadership about Relevant Existing or New Accrediting Agency’s Requirements;
  • Coordination and Collection of Accrediting Agency’s Reports;
  • Reviews Accrediting Agency’s Ad-Hoc Requests;
  • Assures accuracy of Reporting of °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Information to the Accrediting Agency;
  • Reviews Internship Agreements signed by Provost for Compliance;
  • Monitors changes to the Accrediting Body’s Policy and Principles;
  • Manages °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Reaffirmation of Accreditation.

Deputy Accreditation Liaison Responsibilities:

  • Reviews Articulation Agreements, MOUs, MOAs, Contracts, Internal Agreements for Compliance;
  • Reviews Internal Agreements related to Curriculum for Compliance;
  • Coordinates reporting Off-Campus Instructional Sites;
  • Coordinates reporting of Mode of Delivery Changes;
  • Manages °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Substantive Change Process;
  • Provides guidance on Transfer Articulation;
  • Provides guidance on Competency-Based Education and Awarding Credit for Prior Learning;
  • Reviews °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Policies and Regulations for Compliance;
  • Serves on °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Calendar Committee;
  • Produces °®°®Ö±²¥â€™s Institutional Summary.

If you have a question related to an area listed above, please reach out directly to the individual responsible for that item. If, however, you have an accreditation-related matter or question that is not listed above, please reach out to both Christopher and Cynthia so they may respond accordingly.