Just before the New Year, Paris Junior College received official news of reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). PJC’s institutional accreditation was reaffirmed with no recommendations for improvement, an important feat.
“I am thrilled to announce that Paris Junior College has received reaffirmation from the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges (SASCOC) with zero recommendations,” said Dr. Jerry King, PJC interim president. “This significant achievement is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff and administration to uphold the highest standards of academic quality and institutional effectiveness.”
Every ten years, colleges and universities in Texas must go through the reaffirmation process. In order to receive federal financial aid (Pell Grants) for students, institutions must be accredited. SACSCOC requires completion of a Compliance Certification Report (CCR), the development of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), off- and on-site peer reviews, and a Commission review.
The College’s CCR demonstrated PJC’s judgment of the extent to which it complies with each of the 75 SASCOC Core Requirements and Standards, and was reviewed by an off-site SACSCOC committee of peers.
PJC developed a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) aligned to the College’s strategic plans that enhances student learning. The College chose to focus on student mastery of basic skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, both for better success in class and in students’ future workplaces.
An on-site SACSCOC committee of peers came to PJC last fall to review the CCR and QEP proposal, then created a written report intended to help the College improve programs and refine the QEP. The report also aids the Commission in making its decision to reaffirm accreditation.
Accreditation is a form of self-regulation and quality assurance in higher education. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the recognized accrediting body for higher education institutions that award associate, baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degrees in the 11 U.S. southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia), Latin America, and certain other international sites. Reaffirmation of accreditation requires the submission of a Fifth Year Interim Report (FYIR), decennial Compliance Certification Report (CCR), the development of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), off-site and on-site reviews, and review by Commission.
Paris Junior College’s no-finding reaccreditation was officially announced during the College Delegate Assembly Business Meeting as part of a report of accreditation and reaffirmation actions taken by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees. The report came as part of the SACSCOC annual meeting held in December 2023 in Orlando, Florida.
