Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) recently welcomed a Substantive Change Committee from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) on their Bainbridge Campus as a final part of the acquisition process of the former Bainbridge State College. The Substantive Change Committee spent October 30 through November 1, 2018, reviewing programs, reviewing college procedures, interviewing faculty, staff, and students, and visiting the Bainbridge Campus, Blakely Campus, and three area high schools in the newly added counties (Miller, Decatur, Early, Seminole) to SRTC’s existing service delivery area.

SRTC received great news from the visiting committee as they concluded their weeklong visit with the committee’s initial report containing no formal recommendations or areas of non-compliance for the college, which means that SRTC was found in compliance with the SACSCOC Principals of Accreditation reviewed during a Substantive Change visit. The report of this visiting committee represent a preliminary assessment of the institution at this time; final action on the report rests with the SACSCOC Board of Trustees for a June of 2019 vote.

“This is a significant step for SRTC as it means we can now move forward with expanding our offering of academic programs in the Bainbridge area and by having the Bainbridge Campus approved by SACSCOC means students taking classes in Bainbridge and Blakely have access to federal financial aid and the opportunity to transfer their courses to other SACSCOC accredited institutions if needed,” commented Dr. Ron O’Meara, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison.

This committee’s visit signifies the final phase in the acquisition of the campus of the former Bainbridge State College. “Obtaining and maintaining accreditation is of paramount importance for any higher education institution. Proper accreditation is not only a significant achievement for our college, but also a confirmation by our college’s accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), that Southern Regional Technical College meets high standards of educational quality and services. We are proud to provide excellent instruction and services to our students as a result of a lot of hard work by our faculty and staff,” commented Dr. Craig Wentworth, SRTC President.