ABAC 3.6 – Substantive Change Policy 

As a condition of membership, institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) have responsibility for compliance with the Commission's substantive change procedures and policy. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is committed to ensuring that the institution meets that standard and all policies embedded therein. The following policies and procedures have been adopted by the institution to provide a framework for monitoring compliance.

1.0  Responsibility for Monitoring Substantive Change

The Provost's Office and the Deans, in addition to the ABAC SACSCOC Liaison, are charged with the responsibility of monitoring compliance with the SACSCOC and institutional substantive change policies. As part of that responsibility, the Provost has in place procedures that monitor ongoing compliance with all potential substantive changes identified by SACSCOC and enumerated below. Any institutional change enacted, as outlined below, is submitted to the Provost and/or to the Cabinet for review and prior approval, as required. Once approved, the ABAC's Institutional Accreditation Liaison (IAL) ensures the proper submission to SACSCOC.

To ensure compliance with SACSCOC and institutional substantive change policies, the Provost and the Deans will review the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy on a quarterly basis, including items that might require a notification.  The Cabinet will also review the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy on a quarterly basis.  The Provost, following the meetings with the Deans and the Cabinet, will then meet with the IAL on a quarterly basis to address any potential notifications. 

There are three general categories of Substantive Changes: Institutional Changes, Program Changes, and Off-Campus Instructional Site Changes.  Please refer to the SACSCOC Substantive Change Handbook for more detailed information:

https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2019/08/SubstantiveChange.pdf

    Institutional Changes

·         Acquisition

·         Change Measure Progress to Completion

·         CBE Course-Credit Approach (Institutional Approval)

·         Distance Education (Institutional Approval)

·         Governance Change

·         Institutional Closure

·         Institution Relocation

·         Institutional Contingency Teach Out

·         Level Authorization Addition

·         Level Authorization Removal

·         Level Change to a Higher Level

·         Level Change to a Lower Level

·         Merger/Consolidation

·         Mission Change

·         Ownership, Means of Control, or Legal Status Change

·         Prison Education Program (Institution-Level Approval)

    Program Changes

·         Clock-Credit Hour Conversion

·         CBE Direct Assessment (Approval)

·         CBE Direct Assessment (Notification)

·         Cooperative Academic Agreement with Title IV Entities

·         Cooperative Academic Agreement with Non-Title IV Entities (Approval)

·         Cooperative Academic Agreement with Non-Title IV Entities (Notification)

·         Correspondence Education

·         Dual Academic Award

·         Joint Academic Award with Non-SACSCOC Accredited Institution or Entity

·         Joint Academic Award with SACSCOC Accredited Institution

·         Method of Delivery (Approval)

·         Method of Delivery (Notification)

·         New Program (Approval)

·         New Program (Notification)

·         Program Closure

·         Program Designed for Prior Learning (Approval)

·         Program Designed for Prior Learning (Notification)

·         Program Length Change

·         Program Re-Open

   Off-Campus Instructional Site Changes

·         OCIS Notifications

·         OCIS Approval (Extensive Review)

·         OCIS Approval (Limited Review)

·         OCIS Relocation (Non-Branch)

·         OCIS Relocation (Branch)

·         OCIS Name or Address Change

·         OCIS Closure

·         OCIS Re-open

    Other Changes

·         Implementation Extension

Summary

In summary, the Provost and deans, in consultation with the Cabinet and the ABAC SACSCOC Liaison, assume primary responsibility for remaining abreast of substantive change policies and ensuring that Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is fully compliant with those policies. To assist in compliance, the SACSCOC Liaison will hold a workshop each spring semester to review the most recent SACSCOC substantive change policies. The Policies and Procedures for Substantive Change will be revised as required to meet changing SACSCOC guidelines.