{"id":726,"date":"2026-03-17T19:47:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T00:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/?p=726"},"modified":"2026-07-27T01:36:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:36:05","slug":"standards-showcase-section-14-transparency-and-institutional-representation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/2026\/03\/17\/standards-showcase-section-14-transparency-and-institutional-representation\/","title":{"rendered":"Standards Showcase Section 14: Transparency and Institutional Representation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Section 14 of&nbsp;<em>The Principles of Accreditation<\/em>&nbsp;describes the university\u2019s responsibility for accurately representing to the public and other agencies its status and relationship with SACSCOC, the state, and the federal government. The institution is also expected to apply all appropriate standards and policies to its distance learning programs and off-campus instructional sites. During the On-Site Review, the Committee will confirm MTSU\u2019s compliance with the following standards from this section:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-mtsu-blocks-expandable-block accordion expandable-group expandable-group-lightblock\" id=\"newExpandable\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-mtsu-blocks-expandable-item accordion-item expandable-heading expandable-heading-lightblock\"><h2 class=\"accordion-header\" id=\"headingstandard-14-1-publication-of-accreditation-status\"><button class=\"accordion-button collapsed\" type=\"button\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" data-bs-target=\"#collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-1-publication-of-accreditation-status\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-1-publication-of-accreditation-status\">Standard 14.1 Publication of Accreditation Status<\/button><\/h2><div id=\"collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-1-publication-of-accreditation-status\" class=\"accordion-collapse collapse expandable-content expandable-content-lightblock\" aria-labelledby=\"headingstandard-14-1-publication-of-accreditation-status\" data-bs-parent=\"#newExpandable\"><div class=\"accordion-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;institution&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;accurately&nbsp;represents&nbsp;its&nbsp;accreditation&nbsp;status&nbsp;and&nbsp;publishes&nbsp;the&nbsp;name,&nbsp;address,&nbsp;telephone&nbsp;number,&nbsp;and&nbsp;website&nbsp;of SACSCOC&nbsp;in&nbsp;accordance&nbsp;with&nbsp;SACSCOC\u2019s&nbsp;requirements&nbsp;and&nbsp;federal&nbsp;policy;&nbsp;and&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;ensures&nbsp;all&nbsp;its&nbsp;branch&nbsp;campuses&nbsp;include&nbsp;thename&nbsp;of&nbsp;that institution&nbsp;and&nbsp;make&nbsp;it&nbsp;clear&nbsp;that&nbsp;their&nbsp;accreditation&nbsp;depends&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;continued&nbsp;accreditation&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;parent&nbsp;campus. (<em>Publication of accreditation status<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Department of Education Requirement<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-accent-1-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-accent-1-background-color has-background is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How does MTSU demonstrate compliance with this standard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTSU accurately and consistently represents and publishes its accreditation status electronically using the following language specified by SACSCOC:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Middle&nbsp;乐播传媒入口&nbsp;State&nbsp;University&nbsp;is&nbsp;accredited&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;Southern&nbsp;Association&nbsp;of&nbsp;Colleges&nbsp;and&nbsp;Schools&nbsp;Commission&nbsp;onColleges (SACSCOC)&nbsp;to&nbsp;award&nbsp;baccalaureate,&nbsp;masters,&nbsp;specialist,&nbsp;and&nbsp;doctorate&nbsp;degrees.&nbsp;Middle&nbsp;乐播传媒入口&nbsp;State&nbsp;Universityalso&nbsp;may&nbsp;offer credentials&nbsp;such&nbsp;as&nbsp;certificates&nbsp;and&nbsp;diplomas&nbsp;at&nbsp;approved&nbsp;degree&nbsp;levels.&nbsp;Questions&nbsp;about&nbsp;the&nbsp;accreditation&nbsp;ofMiddle&nbsp;乐播传媒入口&nbsp;State University&nbsp;may&nbsp;be&nbsp;directed&nbsp;in&nbsp;writing&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;Southern&nbsp;Association&nbsp;of&nbsp;Colleges&nbsp;and&nbsp;Schools&nbsp;Commissionon&nbsp;Colleges&nbsp;at&nbsp;1866&nbsp;Southern Lane,&nbsp;Decatur,&nbsp;GA&nbsp;30033-4097,&nbsp;by&nbsp;calling&nbsp;(404)&nbsp;679-4500,&nbsp;or&nbsp;by&nbsp;using&nbsp;information&nbsp;available&nbsp;onSACSCOC\u2019s&nbsp;website&nbsp;(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.sacscoc.org\/\">www.sacscoc.org).<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The accreditation statement is published for stakeholders in multiple online locations, including undergraduate and graduate catalogs, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/about\/accreditation\/\">Accrediting Agencies and Memberships<\/a>&nbsp;webpage, and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/\">MTSU SACSCOC Accreditation<\/a>&nbsp;webpage. Several other webpages link to the MTSU SACSCOC Accreditation webpage, including&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/planeffectiveness.mtsu.edu\/\">Planning and Effectiveness<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/iepr.mtsu.edu\/\">IEPR<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/about\/\">About MTSU<\/a>. MTSU does not have any branch campuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator alignwide has-text-color has-accent-1-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-accent-1-background-color has-background is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What questions might the On-Site Review Committee ask during their visit to confirm MTSU\u2019s compliance with this standard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Where does MTSU publish its required accreditation status information?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the information accurate and consistent with SACSCOC policy?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the status is published in multiple places, is the information consistent across publications?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are degrees represented appropriately to make clear that SACSCOC accreditation is institutional in nature, not accreditation of specific degrees or programs?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are there other publications that are not \u201cofficial\u201d where the representation of accreditation status is incorrect or inconsistent?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-mtsu-blocks-expandable-item accordion-item expandable-heading expandable-heading-lightblock\"><h2 class=\"accordion-header\" id=\"headingstandard-14-3-comprehensive-institutional-reviews\"><button class=\"accordion-button collapsed\" type=\"button\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" data-bs-target=\"#collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-3-comprehensive-institutional-reviews\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-3-comprehensive-institutional-reviews\">Standard 14.3 Comprehensive Institutional Reviews<\/button><\/h2><div id=\"collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-3-comprehensive-institutional-reviews\" class=\"accordion-collapse collapse expandable-content expandable-content-lightblock\" aria-labelledby=\"headingstandard-14-3-comprehensive-institutional-reviews\" data-bs-parent=\"#newExpandable\"><div class=\"accordion-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;institution&nbsp;applies&nbsp;all&nbsp;appropriate&nbsp;standards&nbsp;and&nbsp;policies&nbsp;to&nbsp;its&nbsp;distance&nbsp;learning&nbsp;programs,&nbsp;branch&nbsp;campuses,&nbsp;and&nbsp;off-campus instructional sites. (<em>Comprehensive institutional reviews<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Department of Education Requirement<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-accent-1-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-accent-1-background-color has-background is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How does MTSU demonstrate compliance with this standard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTSU&nbsp;applies&nbsp;all&nbsp;appropriate&nbsp;standards&nbsp;and&nbsp;policies&nbsp;to&nbsp;its&nbsp;distance&nbsp;learning&nbsp;programs&nbsp;and off-campus&nbsp;instructional&nbsp;sites,&nbsp;ensuringquality&nbsp;and&nbsp;integrity&nbsp;of&nbsp;courses&nbsp;and&nbsp;programs&nbsp;regardless&nbsp;of&nbsp;method&nbsp;or&nbsp;location&nbsp;of delivery.&nbsp;Courses&nbsp;and&nbsp;programs&nbsp;follow&nbsp;the&nbsp;sameUniversity&nbsp;policies&nbsp;and&nbsp;procedures&nbsp;for&nbsp;faculty,&nbsp;curriculum&nbsp;development,&nbsp;approval, modification,&nbsp;and&nbsp;outcomes&nbsp;assessment.&nbsp;MTSUprovides&nbsp;academic&nbsp;and&nbsp;student&nbsp;support&nbsp;services&nbsp;and&nbsp;monitors&nbsp;the&nbsp;adequacy&nbsp;of&nbsp;physical&nbsp;and technological resources for distance education and off-campus students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a locally governed public institution of higher education in the state of 乐播传媒入口, MTSU has adopted institutional policies for distance education and off-campus instructional sites aligned with the policies of the 乐播传媒入口 Higher Education Commission (THEC). University Policy 254 Distance Education definition of distance education aligns with federal regulations and the SACSCOC Distance and Correspondence Education Courses Policy Statement. MTSU policy mandates that all distance education courses and programs must be consistent with the mission of the University and meet the institution\u2019s academic requirements and quality standards. This policy aligns with THEC Academic Policy A1.0 New Academic Programs, which requires preparation of a Letter of Notification (LON) that includes a discussion of the method of delivery, as seen in the THEC LON Checklist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SACSCOC&nbsp;approved&nbsp;MTSU&nbsp;to&nbsp;offer&nbsp;distance&nbsp;education&nbsp;on&nbsp;December&nbsp;5,&nbsp;2003.&nbsp;In&nbsp;Fall&nbsp;2024,&nbsp;MTSU&nbsp;faculty&nbsp;taught&nbsp;1,038&nbsp;distanceeducation (asynchronous&nbsp;and&nbsp;synchronous&nbsp;online)&nbsp;course&nbsp;sections.&nbsp;As&nbsp;of&nbsp;September&nbsp;1,&nbsp;2025,&nbsp;MTSU&nbsp;offers&nbsp;62&nbsp;programs&nbsp;via&nbsp;50%or&nbsp;more&nbsp;distance education.&nbsp;Information&nbsp;about&nbsp;distance&nbsp;education&nbsp;student&nbsp;credit&nbsp;hour&nbsp;(SCH)&nbsp;production&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;three&nbsp;most&nbsp;recent fall&nbsp;semesters&nbsp;is&nbsp;provided&nbsp;in the table below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table class=\"has-border-color has-accent-1-border-color has-fixed-layout\" style=\"border-width:2px\"><thead><tr><th>Semester<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Total SCH<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Distance SCH<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Distance SCH %<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Fall 2022<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">236,881<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">64,145<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">27.1%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fall 2023<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">238,472<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">65,862<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">27.6%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fall 2024<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">241,992<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">70,903<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">29.3%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">University Policy 253 Permanent or Semi-Permanent Off-Campus Instructional Facilities notes the relevance of off-campus instructional sites to expand access to public higher education and mandates quality and efficiency in instructional offerings and facilities compared to those on campus. This policy aligns with THEC Academic Policy A1.4 Off-Campus Instruction. The University currently provides instruction at six notified off-campus instructional sites used for dual enrollment programming and zero approved sites. In Fall 2024, MTSU faculty taught 111 course sections at off-campus instructional sites, 102 of which were dual enrollment courses. Information about off-campus instruction student credit hour (SCH) production for the three most recent fall semesters is provided in the table below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-border-color has-accent-1-border-color has-fixed-layout\" style=\"border-width:2px\"><thead><tr><th>Semester<\/th><th>Total SCH<\/th><th>Off-Campus SCH<\/th><th>Off-Campus SCH %<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Fall 2022<\/td><td>236,881<\/td><td>3,901<\/td><td>1.6%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fall 2023<\/td><td>238,472<\/td><td>5,337<\/td><td>2.2%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fall 2024<\/td><td>241,992<\/td><td>5,599<\/td><td>2.3%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The table below summarizes MTSU\u2019s compliance with standards related to distance and off-campus education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-border-color has-accent-1-border-color\" style=\"border-width:2px\"><thead><tr><th>Standard<\/th><th>Compliance Summary<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>2.1 Institutional mission<\/td><td>MTSU has a clearly defined, comprehensive, and published mission that is both specific to the institution and appropriate for higher education. The mission includes a comprehensive description of the University\u2019s purposes, including specific purposes aligned with distance education and off-campus instruction: \u201cenhancing access through unique programs, distance learning, and advising to meet the needs of a diverse student populations\u201d and \u201cdeveloping and sustaining academic partnerships, entrepreneurial activities, and public service to support instruction, research, and communities throughout the region.\u201d The University implements its mission on campus and extends that mission to academic courses and programs offered by distance education and at off-campus instructional sites.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>4.3 Multi-level governance<\/td><td>MTSU is governed by the 乐播传媒入口 Board of Trustees (MTSU BOT). The MTSU BOT is the University\u2019s only governing board and retains sole legal authority and operating control in the following areas: (a) institution&#8217;s mission, (b) fiscal stability of the institution, and (c) institutional policy. MTSU does not have any branch campuses.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6.1 Full-time faculty<\/td><td>MTSU employs a sufficient number of full-time faculty members to support the institution&#8217;s mission and goals and ensures adequacy of full-time faculty to deliver courses and programs effectively, regardless of location or method of delivery. In Fall 2024, 77 percent of undergraduate online courses and 89 percent of graduate online courses were taught by full-time faculty. Full-time faculty taught a smaller majority, 56 percent, of off-campus undergraduate courses, reflecting dual enrollment instruction by qualified high school teachers hired as adjuncts. Full-time faculty taught all off-campus graduate courses in Fall 2024, the last teach-out term of MTSU\u2019s approved off-campus instructional sites.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6.2.a Faculty qualifications<\/td><td>MTSU employs its policies and procedures to justify and document the qualifications of its faculty members for each of its educational programs, regardless of location or method of delivery. Instructors of record for distance education or off-campus courses must meet the same minimum requirements as instructors teaching on campus, and there is no different in the documentation of faculty qualifications or the maintenance of physical and electronic records. The 24-25 Faculty Roster documents qualifications of all faculty, including those teaching courses via distance education or at off-campus instructional sites.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6.2.b Program faculty<\/td><td>MTSU employs sufficient full-time faculty to ensure quality, integrity, and review for each of its educational programs. The University monitors the sufficiency of program faculty in annual reviews of staffing and workload data conducted by the Office of the University Provost, in collaboration with the dean and chair of the department in which a program is housed. These processes apply to all programs, including those offered via distance education and off-campus instructional sites. To avoid an overreliance on part-time faculty for distance education, MTSU Online, which administers distance education, provides funding to departments to hire full-time non-tenurable faculty to staff online course sections. University College administers off-campus instruction and provides similar funding to staff off-campus sections of dual enrollment courses. MTSU offered no degree or certificate programs at off-campus locations at the time of submission of the Compliance Certification Report.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6.2.c Program coordination<\/td><td>MTSU assigns appropriate responsibility for program coordination to qualified individuals regardless of location or method of delivery. If a program is offered both on ground and by distance education or at an off-campus instructional site, the same qualified faculty serves as coordinator for all delivery methods and locations. However, a chair\/director may appoint a separate qualified faculty member as coordinator who meets the qualifications expected for the level and type of that program. Programs offered 50 percent or more via distance education are noted on the 24-25 Program Coordinator Roster. At the time of submission of this Compliance Certification Report, no MTSU programs have separate coordinators for different methods of delivery, and MTSU offers no degree or certificate programs at off-campus locations.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>7.1 Institutional planning<\/td><td>MTSU engages in research-based planning and evaluation processes that are ongoing, comprehensive, and integrated. MTSU\u2019s institutional plans focus on quality and effectiveness and are based on an institution-wide review of goals and outcomes aligned to the University&#8217;s mission. Distance and off-campus instruction align with three plans that guided MTSU from 2015 to 2025: Academic Master Plan, Legacy Strategic Plan, and Quest for Student Success 2025. In 2025, MTSU completed a comprehensive, research-based process to unite these three plans into one integrated plan, the 2035 Strategic Plan, which also supports the University\u2019s distance education and off-campus offerings.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>8.1 Student achievement<\/td><td>MTSU identifies, evaluates, and publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to its mission, its students, and its programs. The University applies its student achievement policies and procedures to all courses and programs, regardless of location or method of delivery.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>8.2.a Student outcomes: educational programs<\/td><td>MTSU identifies, assesses, analyzes, and acts on student learning outcomes for continuous improvement of all programs, including those taught via distance of off-campus education. Faculty identify the same learning outcomes regardless of program location or method of delivery and use uniform processes for assessment of student learning. Institutional Effectiveness Achievement Reports and Retrospective Reports for all programs, including those offered 50% or more via distance education, are included in the tables provided in the narrative for this standard. At the time of submission of the Compliance Certification Report, MTSU offered no degree or certificate programs at off-campus locations.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>9.1 Program content<\/td><td>MTSU programs offered in part or entirely by distance education method or at off-campus instructional sites are developed, reviewed, and approved through the same internal and external processes as those offered on campus to ensure that they embody a coherent course of study that is appropriate to the University\u2019s mission and higher education. The same consideration of coherence of the program of study and compatibility with the University\u2019s mission and goals, as well as appropriateness to higher education, apply to review and approval processes for new and existing programs delivered by distance education as to in-person or on-campus programs. Online courses and programs have been a direct outgrowth of institutional mission and priorities and focus on student success. At the time of submission of the Compliance Certification Report, MTSU offered no degree or certificate programs at approved off-campus locations.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>9.2 Program length<\/td><td>All programs offered via distance education meet the minimum credit hours requirements for the level and type of program: 120 credit hours for baccalaureate programs, 30 credit hours for master\u2019s programs, 30 credit hours for specialist programs, 60 credit hours for doctoral programs. Program length is established and reviewed in the curriculum approval process for all programs, regardless of method or location of delivery. MTSU does not offer accelerated and\/or compressed distance education degree programs.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>9.3 General education requirements<\/td><td>Completion of MTSU\u2019s general education core is required of all students, regardless of the location or method of delivery of their program. Students enrolled in an online degree program can find information about the True Blue Core (TBC) requirements for their program on the Academic Maps tab on the Undergraduate Catalog website. At the time of submission of the Compliance Certification Report, MTSU had six notified off-campus instructional sites, high schools where the University offered general education courses. Students enrolled at these locations complete the same general education courses as those enrolled on the main campus.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10.2 Public information<\/td><td>All courses and programs offered by distance education or at off-campus instructional sites, including dual enrollment courses offered at high school locations, follow the University\u2019s academic calendar, grading policies, and refund\/fee adjustment policies. In addition to the information provided publicly for all students, the University maintains websites for each population with links to appropriate information, including course tuition and fees.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10.5 Admissions policies and practices<\/td><td>MTSU publishes admissions policies consistent with its mission and ensures that recruitment materials published by the institution or independent contractors accurately represent the University\u2019s practices, policies, and accreditation status. Admissions policies and practices do not differ by method or location of delivery; therefore, students who plan to enroll in online or off-campus courses or programs must meet the same admissions requirements as those enrolled on campus. Recruitment materials created by the University or external contractors or agents for these populations are monitored for accurate representation through the same policies and procedures as those targeting on campus students.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10.6 Distance and correspondence education<\/td><td>MTSU ensures that a student registered in its distance education courses and programs is the same student who takes the course and receives the credit by requiring students to login to the learning management system using their unique username and password and successfully completing multifactor authentication. The University has policies addressing access to student education records and information security to protect all students\u2019 privacy, including those enrolled in distance education or off-campus instructional sites. MTSU does not charge distance education students an additional fee for verification of their identity, as published on the MTSU Online webpage. MTSU does not offer correspondence education.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10.7 Policies for awarding credit<\/td><td>MTSU publishes and implements policies for determining the amount and level of academic credit for its courses. Academically qualified persons oversee and implement these policies and ensure a consistent award of credit hours regardless of course format, level, location, or method of delivery. Distance education courses are also subject to additional formal review by an instructional designer and the academic department chair to ensure the learning outcomes, content, and activities are appropriate for the course credit hours, and when applicable, equivalent to the on-campus version of the course. At the time of submission of the Compliance Certification Report, MTSU had no approved off-campus instructional sites and did not offer competency-based educational programs.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11.1 Library and learning\/ information resources<\/td><td>MTSU provides adequate and appropriate library and learning\/information resources, services, and support for the institution\u2019s mission. The James E. Walker Library serves and advances the teaching and research mission of the university and supports its students and faculty, regardless of their physical location. Users can remotely access journals, books, research guides, databases, and full-text articles. The Library also provides a dedicated distance learning librarian who serves as the point of contact for students enrolled in programs delivered online or at off-campus instructional sites. The librarian maintains a distance learning guide, which includes tutorials about how to access collections and locate resources on or off campus. Direct access to assistance is available via email, chat, and phone. Library staff also actively engage MTSU dual enrollment students and provide instruction on using library and learning\/information resources.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>12.1 Student support services<\/td><td>MTSU provides comprehensive academic and student support services for students enrolled in distance or off-campus education, including dual enrollment high school locations. University College, which administers dual enrollment and off-campus instructional sites, and MTSU Online, which administers distance education, collaborate with the Information Technology Division, the James E. Walker Library, academic colleges and departments, and non-academic units to provide virtual support services, including tutoring, test proctoring, and mental health counseling. University College staff review contractual agreements and visit off-campus sites to ensure that MTSU students have access to the physical, technological, and electronic resources needed to access University services and programs at those locations.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>12.4 Student complaints<\/td><td>Students in all courses and programs, regardless of location or method of delivery, have opportunities to submit complaints or appeals in accordance with university policies and procedures. In addition to the many forms, portals, and email addresses available to all MTSU students who wish to lodge specific and general complaints, MTSU Online and University College provide complaint portals for students enrolled in distance education and off-campus courses, respectively.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>13.7 Physical resources<\/td><td>MTSU ensures adequate physical facilities and resources that appropriately serve the needs of its educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities, regardless of program or service delivery method or location. Several University units collaborate to provide physical and technological resources to support distance and off-campus instruction. The Information Technology Division maintains classrooms equipped for synchronous online instruction and lecture capture, infrastructure necessary to enable virtual access to library and information resources and student support services, and licensed productivity software. MTSU Online administers the Online and Distance Education Test Center facility where online and off-campus students can take in-person proctored exams. University College oversees off-campus instructional sites, including dual enrollment, to ensure these facilities and resources are adequate alternatives to those provided on-campus.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>14.1 Publication of accreditation status<\/td><td>MTSU accurately and consistently represents the institutional accreditation status and publishes the name, address, and telephone number of SACSCOC in accordance with Commission requirements and federal policy on multiple websites. The University has no branch campuses.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator alignwide has-text-color has-accent-1-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-accent-1-background-color has-background is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What questions might the On-Site Review Committee ask during their visit to confirm MTSU\u2019s compliance with this standard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Are courses and programs offered at off-campus sites and through distance or correspondence education given the same attention in terms of the quality and integrity of the offerings as is given to other courses and programs?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What types of academic and student support services and activities are offered to distance learning students, students at off-campus sites, and at branch campuses?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are off-campus and distance learning offerings included when collecting data for assessing expected student learning outcomes?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What type of oversight is there for distance learning and for off-campus sites?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is the role of full-time faculty relative to these sites and modes of delivery?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How does the institution ensure adequate and appropriate physical resources at off-campus instructional sites?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the institution offers dual-enrollment courses with local high schools, how are the quality and integrity of these offerings ensured?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-mtsu-blocks-expandable-item accordion-item expandable-heading expandable-heading-lightblock\"><h2 class=\"accordion-header\" id=\"headingstandard-14-4-representation-to-other-agencies\"><button class=\"accordion-button collapsed\" type=\"button\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" data-bs-target=\"#collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-4-representation-to-other-agencies\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-4-representation-to-other-agencies\">Standard 14.4 Representation to Other Agencies <\/button><\/h2><div id=\"collapsenewExpandablestandard-14-4-representation-to-other-agencies\" class=\"accordion-collapse collapse expandable-content expandable-content-lightblock\" aria-labelledby=\"headingstandard-14-4-representation-to-other-agencies\" data-bs-parent=\"#newExpandable\"><div class=\"accordion-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;institution&nbsp;(a)&nbsp;represents&nbsp;itself&nbsp;accurately&nbsp;to&nbsp;all&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;Department&nbsp;of&nbsp;Education&nbsp;recognized&nbsp;accrediting&nbsp;agencies&nbsp;with&nbsp;which&nbsp;it holds accreditation&nbsp;and&nbsp;(b)&nbsp;informs&nbsp;those&nbsp;agencies&nbsp;of&nbsp;any&nbsp;change&nbsp;of&nbsp;accreditation&nbsp;status,&nbsp;including&nbsp;the&nbsp;imposition&nbsp;of&nbsp;public sanctions. (<em>Representation to other agencies<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Department of Education Requirement<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-accent-1-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-accent-1-background-color has-background is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How does MTSU demonstrate compliance with this standard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTSU accurately represents its purpose, governance, programs, finances, SACSCOC accreditation, and change of accreditation status to all U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agencies.&nbsp;The university follows established processes to ensure accurate reporting, including required review and approval of accreditation materials by the Vice Provost for Planning and Effectiveness and support from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Planning, and Research (IEPR). MTSU maintains specialized accreditations across several academic fields and publishes a Program Accreditation List that distinguishes USDE\u2011recognized agencies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each Fall semester, the Vice Provost for Planning and Effectiveness notifies program coordinators, department chairs\/school directors, and deans to submit required specialized accreditation documents for review and approval. The notification message and examples of accreditation document review are provided below, followed by a summary table of academic programs accredited by USDE-recognized agencies with most recent accreditor documentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No USDE-recognized accrediting agency has issued sanctions or negative actions toward MTSU programs in the past five years. The university properly notifies&nbsp;accrediting agencies of institutional changes, including its transition from the 乐播传媒入口 Board of Regents to a local governing board under the FOCUS Act, which was reported to all relevant accreditors in 2018. MTSU also follows internal procedures requiring changes to be reviewed by the Vice Provost for Planning and Effectiveness to ensure accurate reporting and record maintenance. Since the last reaffirmation, the University has reported two accreditation-related changes: the planned withdrawal of the ACEND\u2011accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics as it transitions to a new MPH Dietetics concentration, and the voluntary withdrawal of two ACEN\u2011accredited nursing programs after they received initial CCNE accreditation. These actions reflect the University\u2019s ongoing compliance with reporting expectations for accreditation changes.opier access codes for faculty teaching at the site, when applicable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator alignwide has-text-color has-accent-1-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-accent-1-background-color has-background is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What questions might the On-Site Review Committee ask during their visit to confirm MTSU\u2019s compliance with this standard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For institutions with multiple sites, is the institutional identity clear across accreditors?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does the institution have a policy or procedure to ensure other accreditors are notified when a change in status occurs, including voluntary withdrawal from accreditation?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who is responsible for ensuring this notification occurs?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recent Standard Showcase Features<\/h5>\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:12px\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list wp-block-latest-posts\"><li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/2026\/03\/17\/standards-showcase-section-13-financial-and-physical-resources\/\">Standards Showcase Section 13: Financial and Physical Resources<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/2026\/03\/17\/standards-showcase-section-14-transparency-and-institutional-representation\/\">Standards Showcase Section 14: Transparency and Institutional Representation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/2026\/02\/25\/standards-showcase-section-12-academic-and-student-support-services\/\">Standards Showcase Section 12: Academic and Student Support Services<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/2026\/02\/18\/standards-showcase-section-10-educational-policies-procedures-and-practices\/\">Standards Showcase &#8211; Section 10: Educational Policies, Procedures, and Practices<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/2026\/02\/11\/standards-showcase-section-9-educational-program-structure-content\/\">Standards Showcase &#8211; Section 9: Educational Program Structure &amp; Content<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Section 14 of&nbsp;The Principles of Accreditation&nbsp;describes the university\u2019s responsibility for accurately representing to the public and other agencies its status and relationship with SACSCOC, the state, and the federal government. The institution is also expected to apply all appropriate standards and policies to its distance learning programs and off-campus instructional sites. During the On-Site Review, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":212,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/726","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/212"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=726"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/726\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":826,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/726\/revisions\/826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=726"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=726"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mtsu.edu\/sacscoc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=726"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}