The president of The Florida State University is required to notify its accrediting organization of any proposed modification of its essential characteristics as an educational institution. The university's faculty and staff are obliged to assist him in recognizing and reporting such substantive changes.

"Substantive Change"—as it is termed by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)—includes:

initiation of an off-campus site at which a degree or certificate program is made available;
creation of a program representing a significant departure from others in place;
establishment of a consortial relationship with another institution to offer a degree program;
termination of a degree program in which students are enrolled;
alteration of the institution's declared educational mission.

Failure of the president to report these and other planned substantive changes (described in the table below) can result in loss of accreditation of the university's degree and certificate programs. For that reason, and to preclude the possibility of the quality of the university's programs being called into question, the following procedures for recognizing and reporting substantive change are hereby established.

The administrative heads of both academic and non-academic units are responsible for being attentive to what SACS considers a "significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution" and for being aware of related information resources concerning accreditation (see http://www.sacscoc.org).

It is the duty of the provost, vice-presidents, deans, chairs, directors, and like administrators to ensure that the university's SACS liaison is notified of planning for a modification that may prove substantive and that the president be informed of the determination of its status as soon as possible. Implementation of a change that clearly is or may be substantive cannot occur until the university notifies SACS of its intention and receives approval.

SACS's specifications of time lines for notification and means of requesting approval appear in the table below. There then follows a list of links for the FSU and SACS procedural directives and the proposal forms designed to ensure appropriate review of compliance with substantive change policy.

This university policy established by the Board of Trustees at its 24 September 2010 meeting shall appear at the provost's website and, following annual review at the beginnings of fall semesters, be distributed electronically by the university's SACS liaison to all vice-presidents, deans, and chairs.

Type of Change	Notification of SACS prior to implementation is required	Approval by SACS prior to implementation is required	Change is reported to the university’s SACS liaison by	Mode of notification of SACS and timeline for submission of notification prior to planned implementation	Documentation prepared by
Initiating coursework or programs at a more advanced level than currently approved	Yes	Yes	Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Application for Level Change 12 months in advance and by either April 15 or October 1	Department Chair
Expanding at current degree level (significant departure from current program, e.g., number of faculty, new courses, learning resources, equipment and facilities, and other funded requirements)	Yes	Yes	Dean of the Faculties	Prospectus 6 months in advance	Department Chair
Initiating a branch campus	Yes	Yes	Provost	Prospectus 6 months in advance	SACS Liaison
Initiating joint degrees with another institution	Yes	Yes	Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Prospectus 6 months in advance	Department Chair
Initiating a certificate program (typically for workforce development)
…using existing approved courses	NA	NA	NA	None	NA
…at a new off-campus site (previously approved program)	Yes	Yes	Dean of the Faculties	Modified prospectus Prior to implementation	Department Chair
…that is a significant departure from previously approved programs	Yes	Yes	Dean of the Faculties	Modified prospectus Prior to implementation	Department Chair
Initiating off-campus sites (including Early College High School programs offered at the high school) where…
…Student can obtain 50 percent or more credits toward program	Yes	Yes	Department Chair	Prospectus 6 months in advance	Department Chair
…Student can obtain 25-49 percent of credit	Yes	No	Department Chair	Letter of notification Prior to implementation	Department Chair
…Student can obtain 24 percent or less	NA	NA	NA	None	NA
Expanding program offerings at previously approved off-campus sites
…Adding programs that are significantly different from current programs	Yes	No	Department Chair	Letter of notification Prior to implementation	SACS Liaison
…Adding programs that are NOT significantly different from current programs	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Altering significantly the educational mission of the institution (see the FSU Mission Statement, p. 7)	Yes	Yes	Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Prospectus 6 months in advance	SACS Liaison
Initiating distance learning…
…Offering 50 percent or more of a program (Adding subsequent programs requires advance notification only for programs that are significant departures from the originally approved programs)	Yes	Yes	Department Chair	Prospectus 6 months in advance	Department Chair
…Offering 25-49 percent	Yes	No	Department Chair	Letter of notification Prior to implementation	Department Chair
…Offering 24 percent or less	NA	NA	NA	None	NA
Initiating programs/courses offered through contractual agreement or consortium	Yes	No	Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Letter of notification and copy of signed agreement Prior to Implementation	Department Chair
Initiating a merger/consolidation with another institution	Yes	Yes	Provost	Prospectus 6 months in advance and either by April 15 or October 1	SACS Liaison
Relocating a main or branch campus	Yes	Yes	Provost	Prospectus 6 months in advance	SACS Liaison
Relocating an off-campus instructional site	Yes	No	Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Letter of notification Prior to implementation	SACS Liaison
Changing governance, ownership, control, or legal status of an institution	Yes	Yes	Provost	Prospectus 6 months in advance	SACS Liaison
Changing from clock hours to credit hours	Yes	Yes	Registrar	Prospectus 6 months in advance	Department Chair or Program Director and Dean
Altering significantly the length of a program (changes in program length with a noticeable impact on completion time)	Yes	Yes	Department Chair	Prospectus 6 months in advance	Department Chair
Initiating degree completion programs	Yes	Yes	Dean of College	Prospectus 6 months in advance	Department Chair
Closing an institution or program: (see Commission policy "Closing a Program or Institution," http://sacscoc.org)
…closing a program with internal teach-out protocol	Yes	Yes	Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Description of plan Prior to implementation	Department Chair
…closing a program with a teach-out agreement with another institution	Yes	Yes	Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Copy of teach out agreement Prior to implementation	Department Chair or Program Director
…closing an institution	Yes	Yes	Provost	Description of plan Prior to implementation	SACS Liaison

Linked Forms and Instructions

(PDF downloads)

FSU—All Including SACS Liaison Review and Approval Signature Lines

SACS