Mississippi State University’s accreditation reaffirmed by SACSCOC

Contact: Harriet Laird

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University has been granted a reaffirmation of accreditation—with no recommendations for improvement—following a rigorous review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The announcement came last week in Austin, Texas, at the annual College Delegate Assembly of SACSCOC, the accreditation body for degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.

“Our accreditation is of the utmost importance and is all about institutional integrity and accountability, ensuring we uphold our commitment to our students and their families,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. “SACSCOC has once again confirmed that our world-class faculty and staff are providing exceptional academic programs, student support and services, and globally important research activities.”

Since MSU’s last accreditation in 2014, the university has placed an emphasis on creating programs that meet workforce demands and employer needs. For example, the innovative Bachelor of Applied Science degree program has grown rapidly to offer options in high-demand, high-growth areas. The program allows students who already have an associate’s degree in a technical field to transfer technical credit hours to MSU.

In this academic year alone, MSU has added a Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Master of Applied Data Science, offering students high-tech education in occupations growing much faster for the next 12 years than the average for all jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. During the past two years, the university has reached 11 program concentrations in its Bachelor of Data Science degree, designed for creating artificial intelligence systems while improving performance in organizations, government agencies and more.

The SACSCOC Committee on Compliance and Reports’ affirmation process involves an extensive self-study with required standards, peer review—including a site visit, and development of a five-year Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP.

MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw said, “This process is only as good as the people involved, and we have an outstanding, dedicated team at Mississippi State. With this monumental result, we celebrate our past achievements and look enthusiastically to the future—all because of the collective contributions of our hard-working faculty and staff throughout this meticulous review.”

MSU’s QEP, titled Bulldog Experience, has been focused on engagement through experiential, or hands-on learning, opportunities for undergraduate students. The program’s objective is for students to gain meaning from these experiences by developing reflective habits, learning to create new knowledge based on their reflections.

“One of the greatest highlights of the on-site review was our Bulldog Experience QEP led by Rebecca Robichaux-Davis, Kayla Pineda, and all the members of the Bulldog Experience steering committee,” said Associate Vice President for Institutional Strategy and Effectiveness Tracey Baham.

“From the policy-making process, the faculty credentials review, the strategic planning initiatives, to the documentation across every MSU division and location, this was a team effort. I am especially grateful for the Associate Deans Council, Institutional Effectiveness Committee, the 40 colleagues who contributed to writing the narratives and meeting with reviewers, and the administrative teams from the Office of the President and Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President,” said Baham, who served as MSU’s accreditation liaison.

Shaw commended Baham and her efforts in leading MSU's faculty and staff through the rigorous review process.

“She was absolutely amazing in orchestrating it all,” he said.

To gain or maintain accreditation with the SACSCOC, an institution must comply with the standards of the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement and the policies and procedures of the commission.

Mississippi State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees. Mississippi State University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Mississippi 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’s website https://sacscoc.org/.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.