Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Biography
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was founded in 1895 with the objective of improving education in the South. The association seeks to identify institutions of acceptable quality to be accredited, to promote individuals and groups concerned with education in the South, to disseminate information relating to the solution of educational problems, and to encourage local responsibility for schools. The association's coverage includes the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. (Constitution of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, November 29, 1962, pp. 1-2).
The 1981-82 self-study for re-accreditation by SACS was the third comprehensive self-study done by East Tennessee State University. A self-study is required by the association every ten years. A self-study provides an opportunity for the university to examine its programs and to develop long-range goals.
In September 1981, the Steering Committee began preparations for the self-study. This committee was composed of the following individuals: Dale Schmitt, director; one faculty member from each college and school (Styron Harris-College of Arts and Sciences; Wilsie Bishop-School of Nursing; Hester Clark-College of Education; John Vaglia-School of Applied Science and Technology; Bill Cissell-School of Public and Allied Health; Fred Mackara-College of Business); Dorman Stout, dean of student affairs, Fred Borchuck, director of Sherrod Library; Larry Fuldauer, associate vice-president for academic affairs; and Michael Vaurek, director of the Kingsport University Center. The steering committee organized and staffed 11 committees involving 83 persons from 43 different academic and non-academic units. Each of these committees was responsible for the development of a specific report that demonstrated how the university met a particular standard established by SACS.
