KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 26, 2025

Over the summer, Kennesaw State University received notification from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) that its Fifth-Year Interim Report has been accepted. This marks an important milestone in the University’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence and institutional effectiveness.

SACSCOC is the institutional accreditor for KSU. Full accreditation is reaffirmed every 10 years, with an interim review conducted at the five-year mark. Kennesaw State’s accreditation was reaffirmed in 2019, and the University submitted its Fifth-Year Interim Report in March 2025. The University’s Office of Academic Excellence, which plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with SACSCOC standards and advancing institutional effectiveness, led the preparation and submission of the report, a collaboration of more than 100 contributors campuswide.

The Fifth-Year Interim Report review committee, comprised of administrators, faculty, and staff from peer SACSCOC institutions, noted that KSU’s report was clear, easy to navigate, and well-organized.

“The positive outcome from our Fifth-Year Interim Report reflects the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, and leadership across KSU,” Kennesaw State President Kathy S. Schwaig said. “It affirms our commitment to continuous improvement and academic excellence, and I’m proud of the collaborative effort that made this possible.”

The Fifth-Year Interim Report includes an assessment of compliance across 23 standards addressing administration and organization, faculty, student achievement, educational program structure and content, educational policies, priorities and practices, academic and student support services, financial and physical resources, and transparency and institutional representation.

As part of its review, the committee requested clarification for the standard that requires KSU to employ a “sufficient number of full-time faculty members to support the mission and goals of the institution.” In response, KSU re-submitted data disaggregated by educational program rather than by department/discipline.

This fall, Kennesaw State will launch preparation for 2029 reaffirmation with SACSCOC, which must be submitted in September 2028.

KSU’s new strategic plan, “Taking Flight” was designed, in part, as a foundational framework for this work, aligning institutional priorities with accreditation standards as KSU aims to deliver high-quality education, foster institutional growth, and achieve national prominence.

“Moving forward, the accreditation team plans to find meaningful ways to incorporate accreditation expectations into our business processes which will further support student success and our pursuit of national prominence,” said Associate Vice Provost and SACSCOC Liaison Leigh Funk.

Recently, the USG joined six other states to create the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE) accrediting agency. KSU will closely monitor the progression of CPHE as it receives accreditation approval and remains committed to full compliance with SACSCOC standards. Any new accrediting status with CPHE is expected to occur well after KSU’s 2029 reaffirmation review with SACSCOC.

KSU’s Office of Academic Excellence oversees institutional and program accreditation, assesses academic programs, supports continuous improvement across administrative and student support units, and guides the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). For more information about Kennesaw State’s accreditation and institutional effectiveness efforts, visit The Office of Academic Excellence.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.