SAN ANGELO, TX — Angelo State University has earned reaffirmation of its accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) following the annual meeting of the accrediting body's board of trustees.
A total evaluation of Angelo State's academic programs and administrative procedures is required every 10 years for reaffirmation of accreditation. The process involves a campus-wide self-study, which was submitted to SACSCOC for review last fall. A team of SACSCOC representatives then visited the campus in March for an inspection and external evaluation of programs and procedures. At the conclusion of the process, ASU's accreditation was reaffirmed with no recommendations for improvement.
"We couldn't have asked for a better outcome," said Dr. Don Topliff, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Only a small percentage of schools receive reaffirmation with no recommendations for improvement. This result ranks ASU with some of the best universities in the nation and validates the quality of education we provide our students."
During its campus visit, the SACSCOC evaluation team assessed ASU on 76 different standards, ranging from finances and facilities to academic programs and student life. Its members also reviewed ASU's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), a key component of the accreditation process that must detail an action strategy to positively impact the student learning environment and student success. ASU's QEP is titled "When Your Career Goals Become REALity: Ready. Explore. Apply. Launch." - with the goals of helping students make informed academic and career decisions, as well as provide opportunities for them to gain and demonstrate career readiness prior to graduation.
Angelo State University
(Credit: Angelo State University)
Additionally, the SACSCOC evaluation team visited several of ASU's off-site dual-credit locations, and again had no recommendations for improvement.
"Our reaffirmation process has been a resounding success," said ASU President Ronnie Hawkins Jr. "It is a testament to the hard work of our faculty, staff, and administrators that we met and, in many cases, exceeded SACSCOC standards in the evaluation of our academic programs and student services. Our goal is to always enhance the educational experience of our students, and the reaffirmation process gives us the opportunity to both showcase that experience and illustrate how we continue to move forward. Everyone associated with Angelo State and the Ram Family should be proud of the results."
Accreditation is a requirement for universities to transfer academic credits, receive federal funds for research and programs, and be able to award federal student financial aid. With the 2023 reaffirmation, ASU is accredited to award baccalaureate, master's, and doctorate degrees. The next SACSCOC reaffirmation campus visit will be in the spring of 2033.
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