message from president alison

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Accreditation is an important feature of any institution of higher education. It shows the world that a school’s academic quality meets high standards of rigor and excellence and can capably prepare students for success after graduation.

The University of Lynchburg is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, and doctorate degrees. We first received this accreditation in 1927 and have maintained our SACSCOC (often shortened to SACS) accreditation ever since.

Every ten years, colleges and universities are required to reaffirm their accreditation — this ensures that students continue to receive a relevant, rigorous education. Lynchburg was last affirmed in 2014, and we are undergoing our 2024 SACSCOC Decennial Reaffirmation Review now.

In just a few short weeks, March 18-21, members of the SACSCOC on-site review committee will visit our campus. Composed of peer administrators and faculty from other SACSCOC-accredited institutions, this committee will meet with various faculty, staff, and students to learn more about our University, determining our compliance with over 70 accreditation requirements and standards. 

They will also spend a considerable amount of time discussing our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) with members of the campus community — including many of you.

Our 2024 QEP, Undeniably Curious: Creating a Culture of Critical Thinking, is designed to enhance the culture of critical thinking for students, faculty, and staff at the University. (For questions about the University’s QEP, contact Dr. Devon Brickhouse-Bryson, chair of the QEP implementation committee, at brickhousebryson_d@lynchburg.edu.)

More information about the reaffirmation process, including the schedule for the on-site visit and upcoming information and preparation sessions, will be forthcoming, so please keep an eye on your inbox. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Christy Cole, VP for UDAE and our SACSCOC institutional liaison, at cole_c1@lynchburg.edu.

Accreditation is an important — but exciting — opportunity to discover our greatest strengths as a University. I look forward to partnering with you in making our 2024 SACSCOC Decennial Reaffirmation Review a success.

Thank you in advance for your help and as always, it’s a great day to be a Hornet!

Sincerely,

Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Ph.D.

President