Liberty receives accreditation b y SAC S

For Liberty Baptist College students, striving forexcellence is a way of life.

And the Southern Association of Collegesand Schools, andthe 719 colleges and universities they represent, agreed

In December 1980, they voted to grant regional accreditation to LBC.

SACS accreditation makes LBC the only fundamental, separatist, localchurch affiliated college in the United States with regional accreditation.

Besides academic recognition by other colleges and universities, SACS accreditation has given other benefits to LBC: transfers and credits atany collegeor university inthe nation; acceptance of LBC degrees at graduate schools; and eligibility for gifts, nation's top colleges and universities.

The visiting team from SACS, which evaluated the college last fall and recommended accreditation,was impressed with the rapid development ofLBC in so short a time.

Many arewell-known in their individual disciplines fortheirresearch or writing

SACS also found evidence ofthe scholarships and research grants from foundations

SACS accreditation also entitled LBC to full membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association which was granted in early January 1981.

Accreditation is LBC's first step to becoming amajor Christian university-

But itis only thefirststep.

Itisa bridge toother steps toward building the major university system envisioned by the LBC administration

Library workers move theLBC libraryfromthe downtown campus to themountain inorder to fulfill a major requirement setdown by the accreditation team.

According toSACS, Liberty's most impressive asset, however, was itsfaculty The group expressed surprise that LBC could bring together such a qualified faculty in only 10 years of existence.

LBC's faculty of130professors, 35 percent ofwhom have earned doctorates, came from throughout the United States They hold degrees from the college'scommitment toacademicexcellence in the Chancellor's Scholarship Program, which offers complete tuitionscholarshipstothe valedictorians and salutatorians ofhigh schools throughout thenation

According toDr A P Guillermin, LBC's goal istoproduce champions—men andwomen equipped to make an impact on their world, whether they enter the ministry, business, education, media orotherprofessional fields.

"We think we cando that bestby offering a program featuring academic excellence ina Christian environment," Guillermin said "If it's Christian,itought tobe the best."

-Lori A Davis •

Visits from VIP's were nothing new to Liberty Baptist College, but visits from accreditation teams were another matter

But before accreditation could be considered, an important question had tobeanswered:Would LBC have to alter itsstandards,deviating from itsconvictions?

The Southern Association Agency firmly stated that LBC would notbe required tochange theguidelinesset down in the college charter. A deviation from their charter would be interpreted by SAA as making false claims,seriously jeopardizing the future accreditation of LBC.

Their fears puttorest, LBC administrators continued contact with a division of SAA, theSouthern AssociationofCollegesandSchools as correspondent.

Formal application foraccreditation was made toSACS inthe fallof 1976

The first team, consisting of several professional educators from various parts of the country, visited LBC in March 1977.

Their job was: to examine student records togain aninsight into therate of student achievement; to examine school financial records,making certain of the financial security ofthe college and itsprograms; to examine academic programs, ensuring the availability ofa well-rounded curriculum to all students; to examine the facultyandtogauge theircompetence.

After the date was filed, informed suggestions for improvement were made LBC immediately rose tothe challenge and began to make necessary changes

A fewweeks later, a formal written list of recommendations from SACS arrived atLBC LBC was obligated to respond, making necessary changes or providing detailed reasons why compliance was notpossible

LBC's response was sent toappro- priatecommittees where, afterafavorable vote,itwassent totheExecutive Committee

Afterfull evaluation, thetotal SACS membership voted toaward LBC twoyear candidate status An extensionof candidate statuswasawarded in 1979

LBC again came under microscope scrutiny inOctober 1980, when asecond accreditation team arrived

The books were opened, and once again student and financial records, academic programs and faculty were examined Recommendations were made, LBC formally responded and SACS committees voted.

LBC wasawarded full accreditation by SACS in December1980

-Lori A Davisfj