Accreditation

Richard Bland College of William & Mary is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) to award the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees.

Accreditation

Richard Bland College of William & Mary is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. Richard Bland College of William & Mary also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Richard Bland College of William & Mary may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Accreditation is the method by which the higher education community regulates itself. It provides for public confidence, institutional effectiveness, and the maintenance of standards. Every ten years, each SACSCOC-accredited institution undergoes an accreditation review process. Richard Bland College of William & Mary underwent its last review for reaffirmation of accreditation in 2019.

What Accreditation Means

Accreditation by SACSCOC means that Richard Bland College of William & Mary:

Has a mission appropriate to higher education,
Has resources, programs, and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain the 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.

SACSCOC is the regional accrediting body for degree-granting higher education institutions in 11 southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. SACS, founded in 1895, is a private, voluntary, nonprofit organization dedicated to the enhancement of educational quality and improvement of institutional effectiveness through peer review and institutional self-regulation.

SACSCOC sets forth requirements for initial and continued accreditation of colleges and universities in its publication The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement. The review cycle is continuous once accreditation is granted, so that major reviews are conducted by SACSCOC every ten years.