Jackson State completes 10-year reaffirmation with zero compliance recommendations

Jackson State Completes 10-Year Reaffirmation with Zero Compliance Recommendations
A rare feat for any two- or four-year higher education institution

JACKSON, TENN. – Following a recent on-site institutional review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) – the accrediting body of Jackson State Community College (JSCC) – JSCC has no standards found to be out of compliance and zero recommendations to receive full reaffirmation of accreditation.

Every 10 years, all SACSCOC universities and colleges are required to undergo a thorough review period consisting of documentation submissions based on accreditation standards to ensure full compliance of the institution. A committee comprised of leaders from peer institutions reviews all documentation prior to an on-site visit consisting of in-person interviews based on documentation submitted to the committee.

Following a nearly week-long on-site visit, the committee found zero recommendations to provide to Jackson State Community College for improvement regarding their reaffirmation and has since submitted their comprehensive report to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees for their final review and vote at their June 2026 convening.

The zero recommendations finding was further annotated by a member of the review committee stating the rarity of a zero findings recommendation and an achievement that had not been seen during their time of reviewing institutions.

“This achievement involved nearly every person at the college to make happen,” said JSCC President Dr. Carol Rothstein. “Our team, led by the college’s SACSCOC Liaison Dr. Amber Nelms, has worked tirelessly for the past three years to pull together documentation, ensure compliance across the board, and work to produce as few findings as possible prior to the on-site. It’s through this hard work that we walked away with zero recommendations from the committee, and I’m overjoyed to see what our team has accomplished!”

Jackson State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees and technical certificates.

About Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SACSCOC is an institutional accreditor for quality assurance in higher education. It accredits institutions that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees, including those offered via distance and correspondence education, and direct assessment within these institutions. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among its members in the United States and international institutions of higher education approved by the SACSCOC Executive Council, Board of Trustees, and the Appeals Committee of the College Delegate Assembly.

For more local news, click here.