Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation

Florida State College at Jacksonville – An Overview of SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy

Substantive change is a significant modification or expansion in the nature and scope of an accredited institution. The types of substantive change and the procedures for addressing them appropriately may be found in the SACS Commission on College's (COC) Policy on Substantive Change. The College President or a designated representative (accreditation liaison) will notify the COC of substantive changes. The accreditation liaison should ensure that substantive changes are recognized and reported in a timely fashion to SACSCOC via the substantive change notification process.

Why is this important? SACSCOC Substantive Change standards are based on federal requirements that impact the College.

The substantive change timeline includes a list of examples of substantive change, but is not intended to serve as a complete list of substantive changes and their appropriate timeline for notification to the accreditation liaison in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation:

What is the College's policy on substantive change?

The College has authorized APM 02-1104 that provides guidance on compliance with the substantive change procedures of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (“SACSCOC” or “Commission”). This policy is applicable to all units, departments, centers and campuses.

The College has developed a visual representation of the substantive change process and adheres to the academic substantive change procedure.

Deciding if you might have a SACSCOC substantive change:

Programs and Certificates

If you are involved with an academic program or certificate, please answer the following questions to determine if you should complete the substantive change intake form:

  1. Does this involve development of a new degree or certificate program ?
  1. Does this new degree or certificate program involve a contract, MOU, grant, or consortium for the development or construction of all or part of a program or certificate? (This applies whether the College is outsourcing instruction or our College is providing the instruction for another organization or company.)
  1. Will this new degree or certificate program be offered via distance education?
  1. Does this involve instruction of courses delivered by Florida State College at Jacksonville instructors/employees at an off-campus location?
  1. Does this involve the deactivation of a program or certificate?

If you answered yes to one or more of the self-assessment questions above, please complete the substantive change intake form and return it via email to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation.

New Embedded Technical Certificates

If you are involved with the development of a new embedded technical certificate, please complete the embedded technical certificate substantive change intake form.

Administration

If you are involved with an administrative department, please answer the following questions to determine if you should contact the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation regarding a potential substantive change:

  1. Does this include initiating a contract, MOU, grant, or consortium regarding outsourcing instruction or regarding the College’s provision of instruction for another organization or company?
  2. Does this potential substantive change include buying new property for the College?
  3. Does this potential substantive change include opening a new College owned campus or center?
  4. Does this potential substantive change involve a new off-campus instructional site?
  5. Does this potential substantive change include the relocation of an off-campus instructional site? (For example, the College offers some nursing courses at the XYZ Building at a specific street address provided to SACS. If XYZ Building wants the College to move the instruction to another street address, then this could be considered a substantive change.)

If you answered yes to one or more of the self assessment questions above, please contact the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation at (904) 632-5066 or (904) 361-6252 for information regarding SACSCOC approval of your potential substantive change.

What if I have a question regarding substantive change?

Please contact the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation at (904) 632-5066 or (904) 361-6252 for information regarding any questions you have pertaining to a potential substantive change or the substantive change intake form.