By RINDY METCALF

Managing Editor

Tech received a "clean slate" affirmation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools during its April 5-7 compliance assessment.

Terry McConathy, the vice president and dean of the graduate school, said the COC is the regional accreditation agency for post-secondary institutions and determines which university is accredited every 10 years.

"It is important for a university to be eligible for federal funding," McConathy said. "Tech does not accept graduate or transfer students who are not from accredited universities. That's how important it is."

McConathy's official roles as accreditation liaison and chair of the SACS self-study allowed her to interface between the university and the commission, be held responsible for disseminating information to different units within the university and ensuring the accuracy of all information sent out for review.

"[The review] consisted of both the off-site compliance review and on-site visit as well as preparation for the Quality Enhancement Plan, which was a significant portion of the self-study review," she said.

The QEP is a plan for the construction of a student achievement center which will house areas for tutoring in "high-risk" subjects, writing assistance, advising opportunities and other activities, McConathy said. She said the commission gave constructive criticism and suggestions from experts.

During the on-site review, members of the commission surveyed assigned departments and people on campus and came back with no recommendations.

"To most people, having no recommendations is bad, but in this case, it's a good thing," McConathy said. "It's the first time in this school's history to get clean slate review."

Kimberly Ludwig, the Student Government Association president and a senior business management and entrepreneurship major, was a part of the SACS steering committee that oversaw the development of the compliance review portion in conceptualization of the achievement center and informed the SACS team about Tech and its programs.

"Along with reporting everything we do with the university, they ask that we plan to improve what we already have on campus," Ludwig said,

She also said the SACS team approved of Tech's accomplishments and the visit went well.

"The team met with student groups and they were extremely complimentary," Ludwig said. "They were complimentary of the students and what we are accomplishing here."

Tech President Dr. Dan Reneau said the information gathered from the review will now be sent to SACS headquarters.

"The commission will send back a vote of reaffirmation of accreditation in December at the annual meeting," Reneau said.

The university and its departments met all criteria which prompted compliments for the university, Reneau said.

He said the committee's support is "a bright star, a mark of approval."