Message from the SACS Accreditation Liaison
In December 2008 at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the University of Miami received reaffirmation of accreditation for the next ten years. We are very appreciative of the hard work and dedication that our faculty, staff, and students committed to this process. The next major event is the Fifth-Year Interim Report due in March 2014. Our team has provided an array of resources on this site that will be updated in preparation for the Fifth-Year Report.
Under the leadership of President Donna E. Shalala and Provost Thomas J. LeBlanc, UM will continue to conduct university-wide program assessment in an effort to measure institutional effectiveness. Dr. William S. Green, Senior Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education, is chairing the SACS Steering Committee which will oversee these assessment efforts. We invite the university community to familiarize itself with our website, including the policies and procedures, SACSCOC revised standards, substantive change, and online programs.
Please let me know how we can best assist you. Thanks for your continuing support.
David E. Wiles, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Assessment and Accreditation
Assessment and Accreditation at the University of Miami includes:
General Education Assessment
The University of Miami is engaged in an on-going assessment of students’ attainment of General Education competencies. Designed to measure the value added to undergraduate students, results of General Education assessments are analyzed and delivered in a form intended for use by faculty and administration at the institution.
Program Assessment
Each program and department (i.e., academic, student support, and administrative) at UM is engaged in an on-going assessment of the achievement of expected outcomes. Stemming from the missions of the university and the individual program/department, expected outcomes are defined by faculty/administration in terms of impact on the student learning experience. Results of program assessments are used to guide continuous improvement at the program/department, school/college, and institution levels.
Substantive Change
The substantive change process ensures the consistency of the quality of educational programs on and off campus, as well as through distance learning, by ensuring that changes continue to meet the standards of our accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Notifications are submitted to SACS prior to implementation, through the Office of Planning, Institutional Research, and Assessment (PIRA).