Surviving SACS
The Librarian’s Role in Reaccreditation
North Carolina Library Association
October 17, 2007
Surviving SACS

Carol Burton, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate
Studies, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Eloise Hitchcock, Director of Doris and Harry Vise Library,
Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN

Heidi Buchanan, Reference Librarian and Instruction’Inforamtin
Literacy Coordinator, Hunter Library, Western Carolina University,
Cullowhee, NC

Ann Hallyburton, Reference Librarian/Health Sciences Liaison,
Hunter Library, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
Surviving SACS
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
@Western Carolina University

http://www.wcu.edu/sacs/
Carol Burton
burton@wcu.edu
Surviving SACS
Compliance Documents
Eloise Hitchcock
ehitchcock@cumberland.edu
Surviving SACS

Core Requirements are basic, broad-based,
foundational requirements that an institution must
meet to be accredited with the Commission on
Colleges. They establish a threshold of development
required of an institution seeking initial or continued
accreditation by the Commission and reflect the
Commission’s basic expectations of candidate and
member institutions.
Surviving SACS
2.9 The institution, through ownership or formal
arrangements or agreements, provides and
supports student and faculty access and user
privileges to adequate library collections and
services and to other learning/information
resources consistent with the degrees
offered. Collections, resources, and services
are sufficient to support all its educational,
research, and public service programs.
(Learning Resources and Services)
Surviving SACS

The Comprehensive Standards are more
specific to the operations of the institution,
represent good practice in higher education,
and establish a level of accomplishment
expected of all member institutions.
Surviving SACS
3.8 Library and Other Learning Resources
3.8.1 The institution provides facilities and learning/information
resources that are appropriate to support its teaching, research,
and service mission. (Learning/information resources)
3.8.2 The institution ensures that users have access to regular
and timely instruction in the use of the library and other
learning/information resources. (Instruction of library use)
3.8.3 The institution provides a sufficient number of qualified
staff—with appropriate education or experiences in library and/or
other learning/information resources—to accomplish the mission
of the institution. (Qualified staff)
Surviving SACS
Recommendations for Writing and Editing
Compliance Certification Reports
and the Quality Enhancement Plan
Ann Hallyburton
ahallyb@email.wcu.edu
Surviving SACS
Writing Guidance

Download or otherwise obtain copies of ALL relevant
SACS instruction/reference manuals.

Make sure ALL contributors and editors use these
guidelines.

Examples of completed documents from other
institutions may prove useful.

Defer to current SACS documentation.
Surviving SACS
Establish a SIMPLE, SHORT Style Guide Early

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White, Jr. is a
great resource.

Focus on issues of wording, punctuation, and abbreviation.

Make style decisions and stick with them; if you make changes to
your guide, contributors may have already printed copies of older
versions.

Make the style guide easily accessible online.
Surviving SACS
Formatting for Contributors

Have contributors submit PLAIN TEXT
FILES. Or, create a LOCKED document
template that all contributors must use but
cannot edit.

Contributors should submit any tables to
editors with minimal formatting or in an image
format (jpeg, etc.).
Surviving SACS
Timelines and Deadlines

Set realistic deadlines – AND THEN ANNOUNCE DEADLINES
THAT ARE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF THOSE
REALISTIC ONES!

Identify all individuals who can make changes to the institution's
website (administrative, department, and individual level). Establish
a date to end all substantive changes (URLs, meaning of the text) to
the website. Lift this ban once the SACS review ends.

In the event of absolutely NECESSARY changes, individuals making
those changes MUST inform the editorial team.

WHY? Technical problems (server crashes, drive melt downs, Web
glitches) will likely occur. Printing problems will also likely occur.
Surviving SACS
Resources from SACS

SACS Commission on Colleges website
http://www.sacscoc.org/

Areas of the site of particular importance are:

Accrediting Standards
http://www.sacscoc.org/principles.asp

Handbooks, Manuals, and Guides
http://www.sacscoc.org/handbooks.asp
Surviving SACS
Document Mapping

Carefully review all document sections.

Map out which document sections are closely
related to other sections.

Label which individual/organizational entity
has responsibility for contributing each
section.
Surviving SACS
Final Editing makes Documents Cohesive

Establish a small group of individuals with proven
writing and editing capabilities.
OR

Have one employee with all of the preceding skills
work full-time for a set number of weeks/months
compiling and editing.