Realignments Demonstrate Efficiency and Collaboration Between SACSCOC, College Leadership.
BATON ROUGE, La. - The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) recently approved the realignment of five campuses of Louisiana's community and technical colleges. The unanimous approval took place at an early December SACSCOC annual meeting in Dallas. SACSCOC is one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Department of Education (DOE) for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in Southern states.
The realignment approval from SACSCOC allows the colleges to finalize operational streamlining, apply to DOE for federal designations, such as those relating to financial aid awards, and allow for public processes such as marketing to begin. All of the institutions involved expect full realignment as of July 1, 2018.
In March of 2017, the LCTCS Board of Supervisors approved a Strategic Sustainability and Growth Plan. The plan helps protect the mission of Louisiana's two-year colleges. Included in the plan was a measure to realign select campuses from Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC) and South Central Louisiana Technical College (SCLTC) to South Louisiana Community College (SLCC), River Parishes Community College (RPCC), and Fletcher Technical Community College (FTCC). The realignments will provide efficient administration and delivery of instructional and workforce training while also providing additional educational opportunities for students.
"In March, the Board presented a carefully considered yet challenging plan to protect the integrity of our workforce development efforts and to ensure access for citizens in our rural communities," said Tim Hardy, LCTCS Board Chairman. "Dr. Larissa Littleton-Steib (BRCC), Dr. Natalie Harder (SLCC), Dr. Dale Doty (RPCC), Dr. Kristine Strickland (FTCC) and Dr. Willie Smith (SCL) accepted the challenge and have been hard at work for months collaborating to create a seamless transition for all students and the communities affected by the realignment. To earn SACSCOC approval in such a short period of time is a testament to their commitment," Hardy added. "Thank you to SACSCOC President Belle Wheelan and her team for assisting in this process."
SACSCOC serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse higher education institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites approved by the Commission that award associate, baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degrees.