| 3.12 Responsibility for compliance with the Commission's substantive change procedures and policy. The Commission on Colleges accredits the entire institution and its programs and services, wherever they are located or however they are delivered. Accreditation, specific to an institution, is based on conditions existing at the time of the most recent evaluation and is not transferable to other institutions or entities.
When an accredited institution significantly modifies or expands its scope, changes the nature of its affiliation or its ownership, or merges with another institution, a substantive change review is required. The Commission is responsible for evaluating all substantive changes to assess the impact of the change on the institution's compliance with defined standards. If an institution fails to follow the Commission's procedures for notification and approval of substantive changes, its total accreditation may be placed in jeopardy. (See Commission policy, "Substantive Change for Accredited Institutions"). If an institution is unclear as to whether a change is substantive in nature, it should contact Commission staff for consultation.
An applicant or candidate institution may not undergo substantive change prior to action on initial membership.
3.12.1 The institution notifies the Commission of changes in accordance with the substantive change policy and, when required, seeks approval prior to the initiation of changes. (Substantive change)
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3.12.1
Bossier Parish Community College is in compliance with this comprehensive standard because the College notified the Commission of a substantive change since the last decennial reaffirmation in 1998. This substantive change, which involved seeking permission to offer associate degrees via the Internet, was approved in accordance with Commission policies.
In September 2002, the College submitted an Electronic Learning Prospectus as a SACS Substantive Change C: Procedure Two because during the 2002-2003 academic year, students would be able to enroll in three associate degree programs in which a minimum of fifty percent of the course requirements could be obtained via the internet. This change involved the Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice, Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems, and the Associate of General Studies. The submission of this substantive change document shows that the College is aware that some changes made by the College must be reported to and approved by the Commission.
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