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2022 HLC Final Report
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Southern) was presented with the Final Report of their Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Reaffirmation Review on January 11, 2023. The report encompassed a Comprehensive Evaluation conducted by a visiting team on-site from November 14-15, 2022.
Formal notification and official record of action taken concerning Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College by the Institutional Actions Council (IAC) of the HLC at its meeting on February 28, 2023. The date of this action constitutes the effective date of the institution’s new status with HLC.
Following the submission of the report, the Institutional Actions Council of the Higher Learning Commission granted continued accreditation to Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College. The next Reaffirmation of Accreditation is scheduled for 2032-33, providing the college with a full 10-year accreditation. This accreditation is based on the recent Comprehensive Visit conducted by a team of five Peer Reviewers representing various higher education entities across the United States.
The Criteria for Accreditation, which serve as the quality standards utilized by the Higher Learning Commission, are as follows:
Criterion 1: Mission
Criterion 2: Integrity – Ethical and Responsible Conduct
Criterion 3: Teaching and Learning – Quality, Resources, and Support
Criterion 4: Teaching and Learning – Evaluation and Improvement
Criterion 5: Institutional Effectiveness, Resources, and Planning
During the Comprehensive Visit, extensive evaluations of the 5 Criteria were conducted, encompassing 69 sub-components, including assessments of Southern’s multiple campuses. The visit covered all campuses at Southern. Additionally, Southern achieved a perfect score in all eight components of its Federal Compliance Report, an integral part of the Reaffirmation process. When considering all criteria and required reporting instruments, the college scored in the upper 90 percentile. All Criteria were met, with only two sub-components identified as needing improvement. This marks a significant improvement from the college’s 2018 and 2020 Final Reports from HLC that highlighted concerns in six Core Components. In preparation for the composition, data compilation, and narratives, Criteria Teams were established in the fall of 2021. These five teams worked collaboratively throughout the year, conducting research, assembling data, and providing supporting documentation for all Criteria.
The Visiting Team concluded that: “Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is a well-established institution that effectively serves its main campus, branch campuses, and additional locations with programs and services aligned with its Vision, Mission, and Commitment statements. The college’s personnel are dedicated to creating an environment and providing resources that support students in successfully achieving their educational goals. The institution boasts stable financial and physical resources, and its leadership and campus climate have recently stabilized, setting a more positive trajectory for fulfilling its mission.”
Dr. Pamela L. Alderman, President of Southern, expressed her sincere gratitude to all faculty, staff, students, and board of governors members, past and present, with a special acknowledgment to those who served on the 5 Criterion Teams. The Criterion Teams worked tirelessly throughout the year, meeting weekly and bi-weekly with the Accreditation Liaison Officer. This achievement results from a collective effort by the entire Southern family rather than the work of one or a few individuals. The Final Report and the ten-year accreditation validated the college’s unwavering commitment to quality. Southern’s employees consistently strive to enhance the college and meet the needs of the communities they serve. This culture of continuous improvement is deeply ingrained at Southern, where everyone is considered family.
