November 21, 2014
Review initiated in July 2012: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill began working closely and collaboratively with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), its regional accrediting body, in July 2012 to share the various reviews of the academic irregularities, answer questions about compliance with accreditation principles, and host a site visit for a SACSCOC special committee.
During that process, the University designed and put in place more than 70 important reforms and actions to tighten academic oversight and ensure the integrity of our programs. These initiatives were all shared with SACSCOC as part of their review.
In June 2014, SACSCOC trustees reviewed the second monitoring report they had requested in July 2013. They made no new requests for monitoring, and the University continued to move forward in implementing the reforms.
Review initiated in November 2014: In February 2014, the University informed SACSCOC that Chancellor Folt and President Ross had commissioned an independent investigation by Kenneth Wainstein based on new information that had become available, and pledged to keep SACSCOC fully informed as the process unfolded.
Accordingly, when Wainstein’s report became available, the University directed his firm, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, to immediately provide a copy to SACSCOC, which it did on October 21, 2014, the day before the report was publicly released.
SACSCOC responded with a letter requesting additional information and documentation about compliance with accreditation standards that the University received on November 19, 2014.
UNC-Chapel Hill will continue to cooperate fully and completely with SACSCOC in this new review process, and will thoroughly respond to the issues identified in SACSCOC’s letter, per their request, by January 7, 2015.
The University is accredited and in good standing with SACSCOC.