The University of Texas at San Antonio has reached a significant milestone in its merger journey.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) affirmed the verification of UT San Antonio\u2019s continued compliance with rigorous accreditation standards as a merged university, marking a significant milestone in UT San Antonio\u2019s integration journey.<\/p>\n
The university merged with UT Health Science Center San Antonio in September, combining two superb institutions to form a new transformational university<\/a> that now ranks as the third-largest public research university in Texas.<\/p>\n SACSCOC, the accrediting body that ensures the quality and integrity of institutions that award degrees in higher education, officially approved the merger in June<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Tuesday and Wednesday, the accrediting organization\u2019s substantive change site visit team visited the academic campuses \u2014 including Main Campus, Downtown Campus and San Pedro I \u2014 the Health Science Center Campus, and one of the institution\u2019s off-campus instructional sites, Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, to meet with students, faculty, staff and administrators.<\/p>\n Following those meetings, the reviewers affirmed that, UT San Antonio, as a new institution, remains in compliance with all accreditation standards.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s affirmation of accreditation marks a critical milestone in our university\u2019s journey toward becoming a preeminent national, public-serving research university, as it acknowledges our collective commitment to excellence in academics, research and innovation and healthcare, while laying the foundation of our new and nimble university that will serve generations of students to come,\u201d said UT San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m immensely grateful to the members of our President\u2019s Cabinet and the leads and members of our SACSCOC Accreditation Task Force whose incredible work resulted in the successful submission of the prospectus and substantive change committee report and committee site visit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n SACSCOC is the accrediting body that ensures the quality and integrity of institutions that award degrees in higher education.<\/p>\n As a trusted authority, SACSCOC serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices for its member institutions across the United States and approved international sites.\u00a0Its rigorous standards support continuous improvement and help safeguard the value of the degrees we award.<\/p>\n \u201cThis important accomplishment reinforces the strength of our academic foundation and the shared purpose driving our integration,\u201d said Heather Shipley, provost and senior executive vice president for Academic Affairs.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery day, our UT San Antonio faculty and staff empower students through discovery and real-world learning, preparing graduates to take on society\u2019s greatest challenges,\u201d Shipley said. \u201cThis affirmation marks a defining step forward for our university, confirming the quality of our academic enterprise, the transformative impact of our collective work and our continued progress toward becoming a world-class public research university.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur faculty and staff are shaping a university where discovery, innovation, and learning converge with purpose,\u201d said Francisco Cigarroa, MD, senior executive vice president of health affairs and health system for the university. \u201cTogether, we are preparing graduates who will advance health, knowledge, and opportunity \u2014 individuals ready to confront society\u2019s most complex challenges. This commitment to scholarly excellence and human impact propels UT San Antonio toward its vision of becoming a world-class public research university.\u201d<\/p>\n Accreditation serves to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of higher education, according to the commission\u2019s website<\/a>. SACSCOC accreditation ensures that institutions of higher education demonstrate the resources, programs, and services necessary to accomplish and sustain their mission; clearly define educational objectives that align with that mission and the degrees they offer; and effectively assess and improve their success in achieving those objectives.<\/p>\n