The role of SACSCOC recommendations in changing community college practices for institutional effectiveness: A quantitative analysis
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Abstract
Institutions of higher education undergo regional accreditation in order to ensure academic quality, and ensure that students attending the institution receive federal financial aid. The process of undergoing regional accreditation is a rigorous task that many institutions find challenging, especially within the institutional effectiveness arena. The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of SACSCOC recommendations and institutional changes based on the perceptions of the SACSCOC liaison or primary institutional effectiveness personnel at community colleges in the SACSCOC region that underwent reaffirmation of accreditation between the years 2011 through 2015.
The study utilized a researcher-developed, web-based survey instrument to collect self-reported data from the SACSCOC liaison or chief institutional effectiveness officer from 69 institutions. A non-experimental, group-comparison quantitative research design was used to examine statistically significant differences and relationships between the SACSCOC recommendations received during the reaffirmation of accreditation process, and perceived levels of institutional change or improvement within the institutional effectiveness domain. Research analyses included descriptive, inferential, and predictive statistics. Specifically, an independent samples t-test, an analysis of variance, and multiple regression analyses were utilized.
Descriptive statistics revealed the common institutional characteristics, institutional SACSCOC characteristics, institutional effectiveness practices, types of changes and improvements made, SACSCOC recommendations received and during which phase of accreditation the recommendations occurred. A number of statistically significant differences were found between institutions that received recommendations and those that did not for changes within intangible resources, tangible resources, and leadership. Overall, results indicated that recommendations influence many types of institutional changes. Further, predictors were discovered for the total amount of institutional change experienced, the total amount of institutional improvement experienced, and the severity of recommendations received by institutions. A series of implications and recommendations are provided that are intended to aid community colleges in preparation for regional accreditation, and specifically in improving institutionalizing processes that are known to enhance institutional effectiveness.