By Wendy Harrison

FRANKLIN

Paul D. Camp Community College announced today [July 17] that the college has recently received reaffirmation of accreditation by the Board of Trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

“Beyond meeting or exceeding the rigorous standards of the accreditation process, this milestone also recognizes the hard work and dedication that our faculty and staff put forth each and every day to make Paul D. Camp Community College a wonderful place to work and learn,” said Camp President Dr. Daniel Lufkin.

He added that the process involves everyone at the college, including the Camp Local College Board, the Camp Foundation Board, advisory boards and community partners. However, he bestowed a special recognition on Vice President of Academic and Student Development Dr. Tara Atkins-Brady, Dean of Transfer Programs and the Hobbs Suffolk Campus Dr. Justin Oliver, and Coordinator of Institutional Research and Assessment Damay Bullock, for their “unending support and leadership.” He added, “Through their leadership, collectively we achieved our goal of reaffirmation of accreditation, which should make us all extremely proud.”

SACSCOC assures quality and effectiveness of degree-awarding institutions located throughout 11 southern states, which includes Virginia, and some international institutions as well. According to its President, Dr. Belle Wheelan, an institution that has earned accreditation by SACSCOC shows that the college has “a purpose appropriate to higher education and has resources, programs and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain that purpose.”

She added in her welcome letter on the website, “In addition to ensuring that our institutions provide quality programs for students which determines eligibility for Title IV funds (student financial aid), SACSCOC works to influence legislation and regulations that impact the work of our member institutions.”

The six core values of SACSCOC are integrity, continuous quality improvement, peer review/self-regulation, accountability, student learning and transparency.

Colleges are reviewed every 10 years by SACSCOC. The next reaffirmation for Camp will be in 2029. For more information about reaccreditation, visit the SACSCOC website, www.sacs.org/.

WENDY HARRISON is the public relations specialist for Camp Community College. She can be reached at wharrison@pdc.edu.