Livingstone College’s Accreditation Reaffirmed Through 2031

Livingstone College
Livingstone College is a historically black college located in Salisbury, NC.

At its June 17 meeting, the Board of Trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) announced its reaffirmation of Livingstone College’s accreditation through 2031.

SALISBURY, NC – SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. To maintain accreditation, an institution must comply with the standards contained in the “Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement,” and with the policies and procedures of the Commission on Colleges. The SACSCOC philosophy for accreditation is that an institution will engage in ongoing improvement of its programs and services for its students.

“Reaffirmation validates that Livingstone College has the resources, programs and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain our mission,” said Livingstone President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr. “We remain on task with setting clear educational objectives and successfully assessing and achieving them.”

“Livingstone’s Compliance Certifi-cation Report was submitted fifteen months in advance of the College’s scheduled reaffirmation,” said Dr. Kelli V. Randall, Livingstone’s vice president for Academic Affairs and SACSCOC accreditation liaison. The report demonstrated the institution’s judgment of the extent of its compliance with each of the SACSCOC core requirements and standards.

The steps that followed entailed completing a Focused Report in advance of the virtual On-Site Reaffirmation Committee visit, the Response Report of the Reaffirmation Committee, and a final Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) document. Livingstone’s QEP is “Write for Life: Improving Student Writing through Writing in the Disciplines” with a focus on clarity, coherence, and context. Various SACSCOC committees then review reports prepared by evaluation committees and forward their recommendations to the Executive Council for review and the final decision on accreditation.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has forever changed the landscape of higher education, and HBCUs in particular have faced major challenges in the wake of a global pandemic,” Randall said. “Livingstone College’s reaffirmation of accreditation gives the institution the green light to expand the purview of its curriculum offerings, degree programs, and formats of teaching, delivery and instruction.”

President Jenkins agreed, noting that Livingstone’s reaffirmation of accreditation reflects the superb work of the faculty and staff who participated in the process, and by “Dr. Kelli Randall, who demonstrated ardent leadership to the team. This is a great time to come to Livingstone College,” he continued. “In addition to several incentives the College is offering, reaffirmation of accreditation shows we are committed to quality, integrity, and continuous improvements of our programs.”

About Livingstone College

Livingstone College is a private historically black college that is secured by a strong commitment to quality instruction, academic excellence, and student success. Through a Christian-based environment suitable for holistic learning, Livingstone provides excellent business, liberal arts, STEAM, teacher education and workforce development programs for students from all ethnic backgrounds designed to promote lifelong learning, and to develop student potential for leadership and service to a global community.

For more information, please visit www.livingstone.edu.