Marshall Cearfoss
Managing Editor
After a recent committee visit by TJC’s accrediting association, the school is likely to start offering more bachelor’s degrees soon.
“They were very impressed with the facilities. How could they not be? They were very impressed with the instructions the library gives, the databases available, the subject guides … which are just awesome,” said Cheryl Rogers, Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Planning & Research.
The visit by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the association under which TJC is accredited, concluded with positive feedback from the visiting committee. Every five years, TJC undergoes a visit from a peer-review committee. But this year, there was also a level-change visit, which evaluated TJC’s conditions and ability to become a level-2 institution. If SACS votes to allow the level change, TJC could offer more bachelor’s degrees than just the Dental Hygiene degree offered now.
“They were talking with Carrie Hobbs and Julie Mettlen, who are the department chair and coordinator of that new BSDH program,” said Rogers. “They were making sure that the processes on campus were conducive for that new degree to happen.”
Visiting committees are comprised of administrators and leaders from other schools accredited under SACS, but never from the same state.
“We had three peer-reviewers, and we had a liaison with SACS – a vice president – who we communicate with. He was here, and he represents SACS, and he was who you may consider as the moderator or mediator between that committee and the institution,” said Rogers.
Although the level-change visit conclusion was very positive, the change won’t be official until the SACS board votes for the decision in December.
“They were highly impressed, very complimentary of everything we’ve done and of the processes we have used,” said Rogers.
