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King Announces Reaffirmation of Accreditation with SACSCOC

December 21, 2018

King University officials announced today that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the governing body that helps to uphold the educational quality of degree-granting institutions throughout the South, has reaffirmed King’s accreditation. The announcement comes at the completion of a regularly scheduled, detail-intensive study that takes place once every ten years and covers all of the University’s academic programs and services.

“This is a significant accomplishment for our faculty and staff,” said Alexander Whitaker, president of King. “They not only worked for more than two years to ensure this outcome, but in their day-to-day work with students laid a foundation of excellence that undergirds this decennial reaffirmation. We are thankful for their commitment and gratified that our peers within the regional accrediting organization have affirmed the work we are doing.”

Preparations for King’s review began in 2016 and involved representatives from all University departments. The process required extensive reporting by King, involved off- and on-site evaluations with SACSCOC personnel and peers from other academic institutions, and was capped by a final review by the organization’s executive committee.

“We are fortunate to have significant faculty and staff expertise and experience in accreditation matters,” Whitaker said. “Their knowledge was critical to ensuring that at every step of this long process we were thorough, transparent, and responsive as we addressed all of the accreditation standards and requirements.”

SACSCOC accreditation is regarded as a critical component in the positive standing of an academic institution and a prominent indicator of an organization’s effectiveness and viability. Institutions that commit the necessary resources to securing and maintaining accreditation are measured against an extensive, well-defined matrix that helps ensure educational quality across the SACSCOC body of membership.

“While this is very good news for King and those we serve, by no means does this mean we can rest easy,” Whitaker said. “We still have much work to accomplish, all taking place in a challenging environment, and we will continue to work with SACSCOC to ensure that we remain academically and financially strong, so to fulfill our historic mission.”

Part of the SACSCOC assessment included King’s newly developed Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), entitled “Write Well, Finish Well.” The goal of the QEP is to equip King students for their professional careers by providing thorough, consistent academic writing instruction. The program will be piloted in select programs during the spring 2019 semester, with full implementation beginning fall 2019.

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King University is a Presbyterian-affiliated, doctoral-level comprehensive university accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degrees. Founded in 1867 as King College, the University offers more than 90 majors, minors, pre-professional degrees and concentrations in fields such as business, nursing, law, medical and health sciences, pharmacy, education, and humanities. Graduate programs are offered in business administration, education, and nursing. A number of research, off-campus learning opportunities, and travel destinations are also available. King University is a NCAA Division II and a Conference Carolinas member with 25 varsity sports. For more information about King University, visit www.king.edu; for questions related to accreditation, contact SACSCOC at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA. 30033-4097, or call 404.679.4500. King University does not discriminate against academically qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or disability. King University is certified by SCHEV to operate in Virginia. King’s primary location in Virginia is Southwest Virginia Community College, 724 Community College Rd, Cedar Bluff, VA 24609.