2018 Reaffirmation Teams
The extensive reaffirmation process involved the entire campus community, including those who worked or studied at UT Dallas as well as alumni and community partners who supported the University. The UT Dallas SACSCOC project was initiated in the summer of 2015 and the work on the compliance certificate report continued through the summer of 2018 while Quality Enhancement Plan efforts go beyond 2018.
Mission, Governance, and Administration Committee
This committee reviewed not only UT Dallas' compliance with the SACSCOCÂ Principles, but also the UT System Board of Regents' compliance. Both the UT System and the Board of Regents played an integral role in UT Dallas' operation, and to the extent they provided the framework for UT Dallas' performance, their performance was also a factor. Additionally, this committee reviewed UT Dallas' mission statement, how that mission statement translated into action, and the role of the faculty and the administrative staff in leading the institution.
Link to Mission, Governance, and Administration Committee page
Financial and Physical Resources and Information Technology Committee
This committee ensured that the University met the guidelines for fiscal soundness and stability, financial aid administration and regulation, sponsored research programs, and physical facilities. As a part of the committee's work, this group also focused on environmental health and safety issues as well as campus security. This committee also reviewed the entire information technology infrastructure, including the computer labs, the wireless network, email systems, and even the UT Dallas web portal to identify the degree to which UT Dallas' information technology infrastructure services not only met the needs of students but also provided adequate safeguards against internet-driven viruses and scams.
Link to Financial and Physical Resources and Information Technology Committee page
Faculty Committee
This committee reviewed a variety of issues related to the faculty at UT Dallas. The University demonstrated that it had an adequate faculty as well as a faculty that had members qualified to teach in the areas they were assigned. As a part of this review process, this committee reviewed the University's credentialing process, which included the verification of foreign credentials. Additionally, the transcripts of every faculty member who received a graduate degree at an institution outside the United States were reviewed by an outside agency to ensure the credentials were equivalent to similar credentials earned at accredited universities in the U.S.
Learning and Student Resources Committee
This committee determined the adequacy of UT Dallas' support systems for student achievement. Simply, this committee examined the Eugene McDermott Library, its holdings, its budget, its staff, and its program mission and goals to determine whether or not the Library met the needs of the UT Dallas student population and faculty. Additionally, it focused on student rights and responsibilities, the integrity and confidentiality of student records, and the effectiveness and quality of student affairs programming.
Programs, Curriculum Instruction Committee
This committee's focus was to ascertain the University's compliance with the SACSCOC goals associated with general, undergraduate, and graduate education. This compliance required an examination of the education components as a part of the undergraduate and graduate programs, but also focused on the role of on- and off-campus programming as a contributor to student success. This committee also focused on the evaluation of transfer coursework and the academic policies that contributed to "good educational practice."
Institutional Effectiveness Committee
This committee determined the degree to which UT Dallas was actually effective in its work and to which UT Dallas displayed institutional integrity. It determined the degree to which all programs and courses meshed with good educational practice and the mission and goals of the University. This committee also focused on departments and programs not directly associated with the offering of degree credit. For example, this committee reviewed the effectiveness of operations within such areas as Learning Resources, Purchasing, the International Center, the Women's Center, the Career Center, the Bursar's Office, Intercollegiate and Intramural Athletics, and Payroll and Tax Compliance.
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Topic Selection Committee
This committee organized meetings and follow-up meetings with faculty, students, staff, alumni, and members of the corporate community to communicate the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) process and solicit input for potential topics. The data collected from these meetings were supported by email and website submissions. This committee recommended the final QEP topic for implementation.
Link to Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Topic Selection Committee page
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Development and Implementation Committee
This committee was charged with the development and implementation of a new Quality Enhancement Plan. In Fall 2016, this committee developed a proposal for new programs and collaborations between existing programs as part of our next Quality Enhancement Plan on the topic of Students’ First Year at UT Dallas, to include first-year students, transfer students, and graduate students. The committee then was responsible for running the pilot of the Quality Enhancement Plan in 2017 and writing the final Quality Enhancement Plan before January 2018.
Link to Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Development and Implementation Committee page
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee worked in concert with the Leadership Team to lead the various 2018 Reaffirmation committees in their efforts to prepare the compliance certification report. Comprised of the chairs and vice chairs of the committees, in addition to key stakeholders across campus, the Steering Committee reviewed the work of all committees and offered recommendations to the Leadership Team regarding needed changes and improvements in UT Dallas policy and practice.
Leadership Team
The UT Dallas SACSCOC Leadership Team oversaw the 2018 Reaffirmation accreditation process by providing leadership and resources to the campus community tasked to conduct the internal self-study review. The Leadership Team submitted two key documents to SACSCOC: the completed Compliance Certification Report (CCR) and the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Policies, procedures, and programs were reviewed to ensure compliance and to identify any potential areas of concern that should be addressed.