The University’s accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is currently under review. The Commission has approved MTSU for its Differentiated Review Process, for which we will demonstrate compliance with selected accreditation standards.
MTSU’s Reaffirmation Leadership Team attended orientation at the SACSCOC Annual Meeting in December 2023. Division Leads and other key individuals collaborated to prepare the Compliance Certification Report MTSU submitted in early September 2025. The University will submit a Focused Report addressing areas of noncompliance in early February 2026.
An On-Site Review Committee will visit MTSU March 23-26, 2026. MTSU community members can find more detailed information on this website and through University communication channels beginning in January 2026.
The Commission will make its final reaffirmation decision in December 2026.
Reaffirmation Standards / Quality Enhancement Plan Activities
2023
May
Reaffirmation Division Leads began meeting
August
Applied for Reaffirmation by Differentiated Review
September
Reaffirmation Committee formed
November
Reaffirmation by Differentiated Review approval
December
SACSCOC Orientation for Class of 2026
2024
July 21-24
SACSCOC Summer Institute on Quality Enhancement and Assessment
2024-2025 Reaffirmation Year of Record
December 7-10
SACSCOC Annual Meeting
May
Final draft of Compliance Certification Report
May 14-15
SACSCOC VP Advisory Visit to MTSU
May-August
Compliance Certification Report preparation in Compliance Assist
September 8
Last day to submit Compliance Certification Report
October 20
Last day to submit most recent FY audit for Off-Site Review
November 5-8
Off-Site Review of Compliance Certification Report
November
Off-Site Report received
2026
February 9
Last day to submit Focused Report
March 23-26
On-Site Review
April
On-Site Report received
September
Response to On-Site Report
December
SACSCOC Board of Trustees determination
What is Differentiated Review?
Differentiated Review is a streamlined reaffirmation process for SACSCOC institutions in good standing. The table below shows the forty standards for which MTSU must demonstrate compliance in Differentiated Review. Those with an asterisk (*) must be reviewed both by the Off-Site Review Committee and the On-Site Review Committee.
Standards
CR 1.1* (Integrity)
CR 2.1 (Institutional mission)
CR 4.1 (Governing board characteristics)
Standard 4.2.d (Conflict of interest)
Standard 4.2.f (External influence)
Standard 4.2.g (Board self-evaluation)
Standard 4.3 (Multi-level governance) [if applicable]
CR 5.1 (Chief executive officer)
Standard 5.2.a (CEO control)
Standard 5.2.b (Control of intercollegiate athletics)
Standard 5.2.c (Control of fund-raising activities)
Standard 5.4* (Qualified administrative/academic officers)
CR 6.1* (Full-time faculty)
Standard 6.2.a (Faculty qualifications)
Standard 6.2.b* (Program faculty)
Standard 6.2.c* (Program coordination)
CR 7.1 (Institutional planning)
Standard 7.2 (Quality Enhancement Plan)
CR 8.1* (Student achievement)
Standard 8.2.a* (Student outcomes: educational programs)
CR 9.1* (Program content)
CR 9.2* (Program length)
CR 9.3* (General educational requirements)
Standard 10.2* (Public information)
Standard 10.5* (Admissions policies and practices)
Standard 10.6* (Distance and correspondence education)
Standard 10.7* (Policies for awarding credit)
CR 11.1 (Library and learning/information resources)
CR 12.1 (Student support services)
Standard 12.4* (Student complaints)
Standard 12.6* (Student debt)
CR 13.1* (Financial resources)
CR 13.2 (Financial documents)
Standard 13.3 (Financial responsibility)
Standard 13.6* (Federal and state responsibilities)
Standard 13.7* (Physical resources)
Standard 14.1* (Publication of accreditation status)
Standard 14.3* (Comprehensive institutional reviews)
