Glossary

• Approval
  an official action by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees enabling an institution to implement a proposed substantive change
• Branch Campus
  an off-campus instruction site additional location geographically apart from the main campus, delivers instructions, independent of the main campus (independent meaning permanent, offers courses leading to degree), has its owns faculty and administrative or supervisor organization and own budgetary and hiring authority
  
• Closure
  ending of instruction in an educational program, at off-campus instructional site, in an educational program at an off-campus instructional site or main campus, method of delivery, an entire institution
• Competency-Based Education
  method of delivery in which competencies are learned through interaction with faculty and an academic credential is earned based on what students demonstrate they can do
• Competency-Based Education by Course/Credit-Based Approach
  demonstrating competencies is embedded in a traditional curriculum with courses completed, credits earned, and a credential awarded
• Competency-Based Education by Direct Assessment
  progression and completion of a master of prescribed competencies
• Cooperative Academic Arrangement
  agreement between a SACSCOC accredited institution and another entity to deliver program content recorded on the SACSCOC institutions transcript as its own
• Correspondence Courses
  courses in which students and instructors are not in the same locations and in which instructional materials and learning assessments are delivered electronically or by mail
• Distance Education
  method of delivery in which the majority of instruction occurs when students and instructors are not in the same location
• Dual Academic Award
  student receives instruction at two (or more) institutions in prescribed curricula leading to each institution granting academic awards at the same credential level
• Face-to-Face Instruction
  method of delivery in which the majority of instruction occurs when students and instructors are in the same location
• Federal Regulations
  rules and regulations of the U.S Department of Education as codified in the Code of Federal Regulation
• Geographically Apart
  non-contiguous location independent in distance
• Joint Academic Award
  student receives instruction at two (or more) institutions in prescribed curricula leading to the institutions granting a single academic award bearing the names, seals, and officials' signatures of each participating institution
• Method of Delivery
  principle method by which instruction is delivered to include: competency-based education, distance-education and face-to-face instruction
• Notification
  official communication from an institution to SACSCOC as defined in Substantive Change Policy and Procedures
• Off-Campus Instructional Site/Additional Location
  a location geographically apart from an institution's sole main campus and where instruction is delivered, could qualify as a branch campus
• Program
  coherent course of study leading to a for-credit credential including a degree, diploma, certificate or other generally recognized credential
• Substantive Change Restriction
  additional or different requirements for institutions meeting defined criteria
• Teach-Out
  process and time period of teach-out plan
• Teach-Out Plan
  written plan developed by an institution for students to complete their programs of study because it decided to end a program, off-campus instructional site, method of delivery, or to close the institution
• Teach-Out Agreement
  optional written agreement with an institution or entity under which students covered by a teach-out plan may complete their programs of study