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University reaccreditation Part 1 SACS comprehensive standards set by Cindy Abole Public Relations This is the fifth in a series of articles providing an overview of the purpose, process and content of the current accreditation reaffirmation of MUSC by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).     This article focuses on 18 of the total 65 comprehensive standards that cover university mission and governance. The remaining standards deal with Institutional Effectiveness, Programs, Faculty/Students/Learning Resources, University Resources, and Federal Requirements. These will be described in four subsequent articles.   Lisa Montgomery Initial information gathering about and documentation of these standards is the responsibility of the comprehensive standards committee—governance, as chaired by Lisa P. Montgomery, vice president for Finance and Administration.   Following is a brief overview of each standard as well as the associated documentation required: Comprehensive Standard 3.1.1: Institutional Mission—an institution must have a clear and comprehensive mission statement approved by the governing board, consistently followed, and fully communicated to all constituencies. Documentation here includes the statement, board minutes showing periodic review/approval, and specific examples of how statement guides institutional activities and decisions. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.1: CEO Selection/Evaluation—governing board is responsible for selection and evaluation of the chief executive officer (CEO). Documentation includes position description, search records, specific review policies, and written board evaluations. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.2.1: Legal Authority & Operating Control for Institutional Mission—governing board’s overall authority for the institution must be clearly defined and recognized. Documentation includes board and related entities’ charters, bylaws, mission statements, meeting minutes, fiscal reports, policy documents, and appropriate contracts and formal agreements with affiliates. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.2.2: Legal Authority & Operating Control for the Fiscal Stability of the Institution—governing board’s fiscal authority and control for the institution must be clearly defined and recognized.  Documentation includes board and related entities’ charters, bylaws, mission statements, meeting minutes, fiscal reports, policy documents, and appropriate contracts and formal agreements with affiliates. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.2.3: Legal Authority & Operating Control for All Institutional Policy—governing board’s overall authority for institutional policy, including policies concerning related affiliated corporate entities and all auxiliary services, must be clearly defined and recognized. Documentation includes board and related entities’ charters, bylaws, mission statements, meeting minutes, fiscal reports, policy documents, and appropriate contracts and formal agreements with affiliates. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.2.4: Legal Authority & Operating Control for Related Foundations—governing board’s overall authority for the related foundations (athletic, research, etc.) and other corporate entities whose primary purpose is to support the institution and/or its programs must be clearly defined and recognized. Documentation includes board and related entities’ charters, bylaws, mission statements, meeting minutes, fiscal reports, policy documents, and appropriate contracts and formal agreements with affiliates. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.3: Board Conflict of Interest—must have a policy addressing conflict of interest for board members. Documentation would include “conflict of interest” bylaws, definition, and written policies. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.4: Board Free From Undue External Influence—from political, religion, or other external bodies as well as protects institution from such influences.  In addition to legal requirements for board composition and membership selection, documentation includes policies and bylaws spelling out protection from unwarranted intrusions as well as reports of board actions resolving external pressure issues. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.5: Board Due Process—members can be dismissed only for cause after due process. This can be documented by official board policies as well as minutes of applicable board actions. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.6: Distinction Between Board Policy and Administration/Faculty Implementation—clear distinction, written and in practice, between policy-making functions of the board and the responsibility of the administration and faculty to administer and implement policy. Documentation would include institutional bylaws, board policy manual, faculty handbook, and board minutes. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.7: Clearly Defined Organizational Structure—institution has clearly defined/published organizational structure that delineates responsibility for the administration of policies.  Documentation would include administrative organizational charts, position descriptions, handbooks and manuals, and description of process and procedures for decision/implementation/evaluation of major policies. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.8: Qualified Administrative/Academic Leadership—institution has qualified administrative and academic officers with experience, competence and capacity to lead.  Documentation includes organization charts as well as officials’ position descriptions, CVs, and written performance evaluations. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.9: Defined/Published Faculty and Staff Appointment Policies—documentation would include faculty and staff manuals as well as proof that appointees informed about the appointments as well as policies affecting them. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.10: Periodic Evaluations of Administrators—this would include the chief executive officer and can be documented by the specific periodic evaluation process as well as how resultant findings are used to improve performance. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.11: CEO Control of Athletics—this standard is not applicable to MUSC. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.12: CEO Ultimate Control of Fundraising—documentation includes CEO position description, related fundraising position descriptions, organization charts depicting relations, relevant procedures and manuals, and minutes of any official fundraising entities. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.13: Agreements With Instruction-related Foundations—all such foundations not controlled by the institution have formal agreements accurately describing relationships, includes any liabilities, and ensuring relationship consistent with institutional mission.  Documentation required would be bylaws of each such foundation, their publications, their mission statements, and all contracts or formal agreements with the Institution. Comprehensive Standard 3.2.14: Clear Intellectual Property Policies—covering ownership of student, faculty, and staff materials, compensation, copyright issues and use of revenue derived from creation/production of intellectual properties. Documentation includes administrative, academic and student policies governing intellectual properties.  SACS Governance Committee Lisa P. Montgomery, chair; Melvyn Berlinsky, MUSC trustee; Dr. Sharon M. Bond, College of Nursing; Michael T. Drake, student, College of Medicine; Jim Fisher, vice president for Development; Stewart A. Mixon, chief operations officer; Robert I. Pozner, MUSC Foundation for Research Development;  and Dr. Thomas B. Higerd, MUSC/SACS liaison officer. Friday, June 9, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. 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