Following a site visit by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), UTHealth made successful progress toward reaffirming the university’s accreditation. The university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) titled Healthcare Policy for Health Professionals (HP2), is coordinated by the McGovern Center and contributed to these efforts. Directed by Center associate director and associate professor, Rebecca Lunstroth, JD, QEP leadership members include Stephen Linder, PhD, as associate director of the QEP and faculty representative of the School of Public Health; Angela Gomez, EdD, MBA, as assessment director; Francine Snow, DrPH, MSN, RN-BC, from Cizik School of Nursing; Sandy McKay, MD, from McGovern Medical School; Shane Cunha, PhD, from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Susan Fenton, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA, from the School of Biomedical Informatics; and, representing the School of Dentistry, Deborah Franklin, DDS, MA.
The announcement via Inside UTH appears below.
Successful progress in reaffirmation of accreditation for UTHealth
Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, MD, President and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair, and Michael Blackburn, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer
We are pleased to share that UTHealth received only positive feedback in its efforts toward reaffirmation of accreditation this week by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
This news came after more than three years of preparation, culminating with this week’s review from a reaffirmation committee, which was complimentary in its report, finding no areas of noncompliance.
UTHealth must maintain its accreditation under SACSCOC to enroll new students, award degrees, recruit and retain faculty, and also receive federal funding – including student financial aid.
This 10-year review would normally include a visit from members of the reaffirmation committee to our campuses, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we instead welcomed them with a virtual tour that included a video.
With significant contributions to this effort from our students, faculty, and staff, we want to thank the hundreds of individuals who worked collaboratively toward continued accreditation.
We owe a debt of gratitude to our accreditation liaison, Eric Solberg, and the entire team in the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Success, including Deanne Hernandez; Diana Keosayian, EdD; Kathy Rodgers; and Cathy Rozmus, PhD, RN, for coordinating the submission of UTHealth’s compliance documents and this week’s virtual visit by the SACSCOC committee.
We also want to thank members of the University Academic Council for the guidance, as well as Rebecca Lunstroth, JD, and the leadership team who worked together to develop the Quality Enhancement Plan.
The formal announcement of reaffirmation of accreditation will take place in December at the annual meeting of the SACSCOC Board of Trustees. UTHealth’s next decennial reaffirmation of accreditation will occur in 2031.