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Memorial Library Staff Information

About SACS COC

The U.S. Department of Education requires that institutions having access to federal funds be accredited by an accrediting agency that it recognizes. Berry College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. SACSCOC conducts a comprehensive review of its institutions every ten years, with a Fifth-Year Interim Report. Institutions are also are required to notify SACSCOC or seek their approval for substantive changes (a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution).

While Section 11 has focus on library resources, library collections, resources (including facilities), and services are assessed in four sections:

  • Section 8.2c, The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of seeking improvement based on analysis of the results for academic and student services that support student success. 
  • Section 11, Library/Learning Information Resources
    • 11.1, The institution provides adequate and appropriate library and learning/information resources, services, and support for its mission.
    • 11.2, The institution ensures an adequate number of professional and other staff with appropriate education or experiences in library nd/or other learning/information resources to accomplish the mission of the institution.
    • 11.3, The institution provides (a) student and faculty access and user privileges to its library services and (b) access to regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources.
  • Section 12, Academic & Student Support Services
    • 12.1,  The institution provides appropriate academic and student support programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission. 
    • 12.2,  The institution ensures an adequate number of academic and student support services staff with appropriate education or experience in student support service areas to accomplish the mission of the institution. 
  • Section 13.7, The institution ensures adequate physical facilities and resources, both on and off campus, that appropriately serve the needs of the institution’s educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities. 

Memorial Library SACS Committee

Charge: Lead Memorial Library's efforts related to the SACS reaffirmation process.

Members: Sherre Harrington, Steve Head, Jessica Hornbuckle

Minutes:

2017 SACS Documentation

2017 SACS COC Focused Report

In responding to the college's self assessment, the SACS COC review committee found the library non-compliant with standard 3.8.2:

3.8.2    The institution ensures that users have access to regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources. (Instruction of library use)

Non-Compliance

The institution provides a variety of library instruction opportunities, including classroom instruction (79 courses in 14 departments in 2015-16), information from the library website, and walk-in and consultation assistance in the library. A report from the NSSE Experiences with Information Literacy module demonstrates that seniors show progress in information literacy proficiency and show greater proficiency than the national comparison group.

However, the scope of the instruction is not apparent.  For example, graduate and online students are not mentioned in the narrative. The narrative also makes clear that library instruction is not consistently provided in either all BCC 100 or all RHW 102 sections.

Focused Report Response:

Documentation for Focused Report Response: