Accreditation
FAU Soars through SACS Review
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associates, baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctorate degrees. Contact the SACSCOC at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of FAU.
FAU is required to undergo a review for reaffirmation of accreditation every ten years, with interim reports due every five years.
The 10-year cycle for SACSCOC reaffirmation includes the submission and review of two major components: the Compliance Certification Report (CCR) and the institution’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The CCR is comprised of individual narratives and supporting evidence that demonstrates the University’s compliance with over 90 standards of accreditation as determined by SACSCOC and its member institutions. The QEP is an institution-specific plan designed to enhance undergraduate education and the learning experience.
FAU’s most recent compliance audit, which began in the fall of 2010, resulted in a 450-page CCR which was supported by over 1500 documents of evidence. The CCR was submitted for the first phase of evaluation, the off-site review, in September 2012. In November 2012, after months of examination, FAU received an excellent report by the SACS Off-site Committee.
The on-site phase of FAU’s reaffirmation process, which focuses on the QEP, was equally successful. The SACS team commented that they had never seen a more enthusiastic University-wide buy-in for a QEP, and they commended FAU for tackling the task of expanding the culture of undergraduate research and inquiry, which is the focus of our QEP. Currently, the University is preparing for the Fifth Year Interim Report which is due in March of 2019. The Fifth Year Interim Report documents the progress of the QEP and continued compliance with the SACS Principles of Accreditation, including degree program assessment of student learning outcomes.