Centenary Receives Notice of Accreditation

SHREVEPORT, La.— Centenary College has received official notification of reaffirmation for full accreditation status from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The announcement comes during the college's centennial celebration year, with the reaffirmation taking place every 10 years for schools that are SACS members.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the reaccreditation process and the outstanding review we received," said Dr. Ken Schwab, President of the College. "We are grateful for all the hard work by our staff and faculty throughout this year-long process. This really is the result of outstanding efforts by our entire team at the College and across the campus. Centenary has long been known for academic excellence and premier student preparation and we take pride in continuing this great tradition."

The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. The Commission's mission is the enhancement of educational quality throughout the region and it strives to improve the effectiveness of institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites approved by the Commission on Colleges that award associate, baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degrees.

Accreditation of an institution by the Commission on Colleges signifies the institution has a purpose appropriate to higher education and has resources, programs, and services sufficient to accomplish that purpose on a continuing basis.

The reaffirmation process is lengthy and is significant because accreditation is based upon a peer review process and is a form of self regulation, according to Dr. David Hoaas, Associate Provost and academic liaison to SACS.

"Every 10 years we undergo a rigorous process of review which assesses the entire operation here at the College," said Hoaas who oversees the accreditation process at Centenary in his position. "What makes it significant is that accreditation is fundamentally a process of peer review, continual self-assessment and improvement in fulfilling our educational mission. This reaffirmation means that the College has met and demonstrated to our peer institutions the high standards demanded by SACS, and speaks to the quality of both our staff and faculty."

A copy of the report is available at http://www.sacscoc.org.

About Centenary College of Louisiana

Centenary College is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Centenary is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South and is regularly rated as one of the top colleges in the South. In 2008 Centenary College celebrates 100 years in Shreveport and Bossier City.