{"id":57,"date":"2014-05-12T14:12:47","date_gmt":"2014-05-12T19:12:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/policy-procedure-manual\/?page_id=57"},"modified":"2025-09-08T01:08:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T01:08:06","slug":"1-4-accreditation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/policy-procedure-manual\/general-administration\/1-4-accreditation\/","title":{"rendered":"1.4. Accreditation"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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1.4.1 Regional Accreditation<\/span><\/h3>

Nicholls State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and specialist degrees. Nicholls State University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Nicholls State University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC\u2019s website (www.sacscoc.org<\/a>).<\/p>

Any and all official university publications describing the accreditation status of Nicholls State University with SACSCOC must be printed exactly as stated above. Questions regarding this statement are to be addressed to the university Nicholls SACSCOC Liaison.<\/p>

1.4.2 Substantive Change<\/span><\/h3>

Nicholls State University maintains compliance with the SACSCOC policy through timely notification and reporting on areas of substantive change.<\/span><\/p>

Background:<\/span><\/p>

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) defines a substantive change as a \u201csignificant modification or expansion in the nature and scope of an accredited institution.\u201d Activities included as substantive change are outlined in the SACSCOC policy statement, \u201cSubstantive Change Policy and Procedures\u201d, found on the SACSCOC <\/span>website<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>

Nicholls State University is required to notify SACSCOC of changes in accordance with the substantive change policy and, when required, seek approval prior to the initiation of changes. This policy and procedure is intended to ensure that all substantive changes are reported to the Commission in a timely fashion.<\/span><\/p>

The Nicholls SACSCOC liaison is charged with reviewing the Substantive Change policy on a semi-annual basis and presenting changes to the President\u2019s Cabinet, University Council,\u00a0and Academic Council as necessary.<\/span><\/p>

While certain changes require only notification prior to implementation, other changes require approval prior to implementation of the change (as per SACSCOC policy revised June 2025).<\/span><\/p>

Procedure:<\/span><\/p>

Any unit initiating a substantive change for Nicholls State University must notify the Nicholls SACSCOC Liaison immediately upon consideration of the change. Generally, this notification should occur 9-12 months in advance of the proposed change, but varies according to SACSCOC published policy. The Nicholls SACSCOC Liaison will review the proposal to determine if it falls within the substantive change list provided by SACSCOC and provide the unit with a description of SACSCOC substantive change procedures that must be followed.<\/span><\/p>

All administration is responsible for notifying the Nicholls SACSCOC Liaison of proposed changes and for implementation of this policy. Questions about whether a change is considered \u201csubstantive\u201d should be directed to the Nicholls SACSCOC Liaison.<\/span><\/p>

Documentation required for the proposed change to be considered and time frames for contacting SACSCOC are outlined in the SACSCOC policy, \u201cSubstantive Change Policy and Procedures\u201d.<\/span><\/p>

Correspondence with SACSCOC regarding substantive change is to be submitted by the President, or designee, of Nicholls State University through the Nicholls SACSCOC Liaison and Vice President of the unit initiating the change.<\/span><\/p>

1.4.3 Other Accreditations<\/span><\/h3>

Specific college and departmental accreditations are listed on the University\u2019s web page.<\/span><\/p>

Back to Top<\/a><\/p>

Changes to Section of Manual<\/h5>
Section<\/th>Effective Date<\/th>Origin<\/th>Change Form<\/th><\/tr>
N\/A<\/td>\u00a0<\/td>\u00a0<\/td>\u00a0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

1.4.4 Notification of Accrediting Decisions by USDOE-Recognized Accrediting Agency<\/span><\/h3>
SACSCOC requires candidate and member institutions holding accredited or candidacy (pre-accredited) status from more than one U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency (<\/span>https:\/\/ope.ed.gov\/accreditation\/Agencies.aspx<\/a>) to keep each agency apprised of any change in its status with one or another agency. Any institution seeking or holding accreditation from more than one USDOE-recognized accrediting agency must represent itself accurately to each agency with regard to purpose, governance, programs, degrees, diplomas, certificates, personnel, finances, and constituents, and must keep each USDE- recognized accrediting body, including SACSCOC, apprised of any change in its status with one or another \u00a0accrediting agency.<\/span><\/div>
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1.4.1 Regional Accreditation Nicholls State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and specialist degrees. Nicholls State University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Nicholls State University may be directed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":20,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-57","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n1.4. 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