Aquinas VP Selected for SACSCOC Board of Trustees

Aquinas College is pleased to announce that Dr. Bill Smart has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is the institutional accrediting agency for most of the colleges and universities in the southeastern United States and has served as the accreditor of Aquinas College since 1971. As an institutional accreditor, SACSCOC’s primary mission is to assure students and the public of the educational quality of its member institutions while promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Dr. Smart began his career at Aquinas College 27 years ago as a professor of biology; he currently serves as Vice President for Academic Affairs. During his tenure at Aquinas, Dr. Smart has participated in and led numerous initiatives requiring oversight, approval and reaffirmation by SACSCOC. Additionally, he has served on multiple accreditation committees, visiting peer institutions as they sought to maintain or renew their accreditation. More recently, Dr. Smart has chaired reaffirmation committees, leading teams of academic professionals in evaluating institutional compliance with rigorous accreditation standards.

Dr. Smart’s three-year appointment to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees will enable him to engage in the accreditation process at an even higher level, bringing back to Aquinas College a deeper understanding of best practices in higher education. Moreover, his service will contribute to the broader mission of ensuring institutional quality and improving student experiences across the Southeast, further advancing Aquinas College’s commitment to engage culture in Truth and Charity.