The Texas A&M University System is joining with other public university systems in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina to create a new accrediting body, the “Commission for Public Higher Education.” This comes after the passage of Senate Bill 530, which loosens regulations on how public colleges and universities choose to be accredited.
Accrediting bodies are independent agencies that are tasked with reviewing the quality of colleges and their programs. Before SB 530, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSOC) was the statutorily mandated, or default, accrediting body for public Texas colleges. SACSOC is one of the seven major regional accrediting bodies recognized by the federal government, and students are only eligible for federal financial aid if they attend a university accredited by a federally recognized agency.
State leaders are pushing to deregulate accreditation to seek “a more reasonable and transparent pathway toward accreditation.” Newly appointed chancellor of the A&M system, Glenn Hegar, says the Commission for Public Higher Education will be a “more objective option for accreditation.” The main criticism, however, is the assumption that SACSOC and other agencies are responsible for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. However, SACSOC does not have any DEI requirements.
The Texas A&M System and other universities are still in the process of getting the new agency recognized, and it’s unclear what their standards will be.