SACSCOC Reaffirmation 2026

Reaffirmation is a comprehensive review process that institutions undergo every ten years by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) region. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices primarily among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and certain other international sites approved by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees. The Reaffirmation process is comprised of three main parts:

Preparation of a comprehensive Compliance Certification report which is reviewed by an off-site Committee of institutional peers from the SACSCOC region
Preparation of a focused report to address specific questions of the off-site reviewers and submission of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
Completion of an on-site review by an on-site Committee of institutional peers from the SACSCOC region. The full process of Reaffirmation takes approximately 24 months to complete

Baylor College of Medicine was awarded a Differentiated Review for this upcoming reaffirmation. The Compliance Certification report is due to SACSCOC in September 2025, the on-site review will occur in March 2026. Reaffirmation is anticipated to be completed in December 2026 at the SACSCOC Annual Meeting. Baylor College of Medicine’s Reaffirmation efforts are led by the Office of Accreditation and Education Effectiveness.

Institutions accredited by SACSCOC must demonstrate compliance with the standards for accreditation as contained in The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, and with the policies and procedures of the Commission.

For the 2026 Reaffirmation, Baylor College of Medicine has been granted a Differentiated Review. To maintain this status, compliance with the relevant SACSCOC Policy standards must be demonstrated.

Reaffirmation Newsletters

Reaffirmation Kick-Off

On Oct. 4, 2024, the Office of Accreditation and Education Effectiveness (OAEE) proudly hosted the SACSCOC Reaffirmation 2026 Kick-Off event. This significant occasion featured insightful presentations from esteemed leaders, including Paul Klotman, President, CEO and Executive Dean, and Jennifer Christer, Senior Dean of the Schools of Medicine and Health Professions. They provided a comprehensive overview of the SACSCOC reaffirmation process to our dedicated faculty and staff, setting the stage for our journey towards reaffirmation in 2026. View the video (Baylor login required).