Howard Payne University received recognition of a 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) at the SACSCOC Annual Meeting in Austin on Dec. 10. The university submitted a 10-year reaffirmation compliance report to SACSCOC that included responding to 73 compliance standards. After review, HPU had zero findings of non-compliance. Dr. Cory Hines, HPU president, attended the meeting as a delegate to receive the news.

“This reaffirmation demonstrates the value of the education offered at Howard Payne University,” said Dr. Hines. “I am thankful for all those on our campus who worked diligently through this process and am overjoyed with the outcome. Having zero findings of non-compliance is remarkable and a testament to the leadership and dedication of our faculty and staff. This affirms our position as a university that offers excellence in the classroom, through the student experience and prepares students for success in the future.”

The reaffirmation process was a year-long endeavor. Reviews were conducted by an Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee, an On-Site Reaffirmation Committee and the SACSCOC Board of Trustees. The on-site committee visited HPU in March and met with faculty, staff, trustees and students. HPU was last reaccredited in 2014 and has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges since 1948.

“Having Howard Payne’s accreditation reaffirmed for another 10 years is vitally important to our fulfilling our mission to our students, to our supporters and to our alumni,” said Dr. Donnie Auvenshine, vice president for academic affairs. “We thank the Lord and all who have labored to bring us to this day of celebrating a job well done.”

One component of the reaffirmation process was the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which was presented by a committee of students and faculty, entitled “Game Plan for Academic Achievement – GPA+: Academic Coaching for Jacket Success.” The QEP began in the fall 2024 semester and is designed to help students build the skills needed to succeed in the classroom through HPU’s newly certified academic coaches. The new services are available through HPU’s Center for Student Success, under the direction of Dr. Wendy McNeeley, assistant vice president for student success.

In March, a panel of students from the Strategic Communication Campaigns class taught by Dr. Julie Welker, professor of communication and chair of the department of communication, presented the QEP implementation strategy to the on-site review committee.

During the Monday workshop session at the SACSCOC Annual Meeting in Austin, three HPU faculty presented a workshop entitled “The Big Buy-In: Engaging Stakeholders in QEP Planning.” Dr. Jill Heupel, associate vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Welker and Dr. Auvenshine shared with colleagues about how they engaged students in the development, presentation and promotion of the QEP process on the HPU campus.

“The reaffirmation of our accreditation is a testament to the dedication, teamwork and tireless effort of so many at HPU,” said Dr. Heupel. “This achievement reflects the commitment of our faculty, staff and leaders, who have worked relentlessly to uphold the standards that ensure we continue to serve our students and to impact the Kingdom of God.”

SACSCOC is the regional accrediting body that awards associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees for the U.S. southern states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and certain other international sites approved by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees.