About Northeast Lakeview College's Accreditation

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a process that ensures quality in post-secondary education. The process of accreditation requires the post-secondary institution to prove institutional quality based on standards required by the regional accrediting body. In Texas, post secondary schools apply for accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Accreditation signifies that an institution has an appropriate mission; has resources, programs and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain that mission; and maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees it offers, and that indicate whether it is successful in achieving its stated objectives. This and other information about accreditation can be found at: http://sacscoc.org/.

Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) desires to obtain accreditation to be in accordance with SACS requirements. Accreditation will also allow NLC to offer Federal Financial Aid to its students. At this time, students registered at NLC only are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid; however, San Antonio College (SAC) students at NLC are eligible for this type of aid. Accreditation also means that NLC’s credits will transfer to all Texas and most out-of-state college and universities (see below: DO NLC COURSE CREDITS TRANSFER? and WHICH COLLEGES HAVE AGREED TO ACCEPT NLC CREDITS?).

What is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)?

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.  The Commission’s mission is the enhancement of educational quality throughout the region and it strives to improve the effectiveness of institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students.  It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites approved by the Commission on Colleges that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees. The Commission also accepts applications from other international institutions of higher education.

This and other information about SACS can be found at: http://sacscoc.org/.
 

Why isn’t NLC accredited yet?

New institutions are required to exhibit a history that shows they have the operational structure, resources, and measureable results to fulfill their stated mission. No new higher education institution opens with accreditation.

What does NLC need to do to obtain accreditation?

The first step for all applicant institutions is to submit a Candidacy application to SACS. This is the regular process by which all colleges begin their accreditation journey. Acceptance or rejection of a Candidacy application takes place in June and December of each year, followed by a site visit three to four months later. Following successful Candidacy, a college then applies for full accreditation, which requires the development and acceptance (by SACS) of an institutionally focused Quality Enhancement Plan.

The biggest hurdle for NLC in achieving Candidacy has been the submission of the external (independent) financial audit requirement clearly establishing that NLC has the necessary resources to operate as a new and self-sufficient institution.  This past fiscal year (2010/2011) has been spent reorganizing the Alamo chart of accounts so that individual institutional audits will be available. NLC’s first “stand-alone” audit should be available in early 2012. The issue related to the NLC external financial audit is not about the content of the audit, but rather the format by which it must be presented.  NLC has no control over the format.

Why didn’t Palo Alto College or Northwest Vista College have to go through this lengthy process when they opened?

PAC and NVC were admitted to Candidacy and received accreditation as members of the Alamo Community College District prior to the changing of SACS criteria in 2001. At the time, they were allowed to use the ACCD’s single chart of accounts as proof of financial solvency. In 2001, SACS changed the criteria to declare that any institution seeking application for candidacy, even those who are a part of a district, must maintain its own financial records. Additionally, national Governmental Accounting Standards (the Sarbane-Oxley Act) have affected the application process.  For those interested in the details, please review Core Requirement 2.11.1 of The Principles of Accreditation at: http://sacscoc.org/.
 

Do NLC course credits transfer?

Regarding the transfer of credits earned at Northeast Lakeview College, the SACS Position Statement on the Transfer of Academic Credit clearly states that the acceptance of credits from an unaccredited institution is allowed (and not a SACS requirement), and under the purview of the receiving institution. NLC and San Antonio College (SAC) at NLC continue to offer a full array of courses to students in the greater northeast area of the Alamo service area. Judson Early College Academy (JECA) students are enrolled in SAC courses offered at NLC. NLC has contacted every public and private higher education institution in the state concerning its accreditation status and has letters committing to the acceptance of NLC credits. Additionally, NLC students completing the Alamo Community College District’s Core Curriculum (approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in 2009) are guaranteed their credits will transfer. The transfer of NLC credits to all other institutions is handled on a case-by-case basis.

Which schools have agreed to accept NLC credits as it undergoes the accreditation process?*

*Students are strongly urged to speak to their advisor about transferability of credits.

What degrees are offered at NLC?

Northeast Lakeview College offers three degrees: Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) and Associate of Science (AS). At the current time, NLC does not offer any workforce education degrees (Associate of Applied Science).

Each of the three degrees has options for concentration areas. For an AA degree, a student may choose a concentration in Art, Business Administration, Communication Studies, Economics, English, History, Kinesiology, Liberal Arts, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology or Spanish.

For an AAT degree, a student may choose from 1st Curriculum or 2nd Curriculum, which specify different grade levels and content area specializations.

For an AS degree, a student may choose a concentration in: Biology, Computer Science, Geology or Mathematics.