H-SC Substantive Change Policy
Scope
This policy applies to all departments, programs, and other units at Hampden-Sydney College that seek to implement substantive changes at the College.
Purpose
This policy is designed to ensure that 1) each substantive change is communicated to the appropriate stakeholders who are involved in the development and/or implementation of the change or may be impacted by it, and 2) that the College complies with all internal and external approval requirements and processes.
Particularly, this policy helps ensure the College is in compliance with both the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy and SACSCOC Standard 14.2 (substantive change). The SACSCOC substantive change policy requires the College to notify SACSCOC of substantive changes as outlined in the Substantive Change Policy. Standard 14.2 requires institutions to have “a policy and procedure to ensure all substantive changes are reported in accordance with SACSCOC policy.”
Definitions
As defined in the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy, a substantive change is a “significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution. Substantive change includes high-impact, high-risk changes and changes that can impact the quality of educational programs and services.”
The various types of substantive changes and their associated SACSCOC requirements and timelines for submission to SACSCOC are found in the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy. Substantive changes include the closure of a major, the addition of credentials at a higher or lower level than what the College is currently authorized to offer, and adding a new program that is a significant departure from what the College currently offers.
Policy Statement
This substantive change policy ensures Hampden-Sydney College complies with both SACSCOC’s substantive change policy and SACSCOC standard 14.2 (substantive change).
This policy is designed to connect internal approval processes with external ones, as described in the Procedure section below.
Procedure
Prior to submitting a change to SACSCOC and/or any other external approving agency, institutional stakeholders, to include the Faculty, Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) staff, and others, must adhere to the institutional policies and procedures outlined in the College’s Bylaws, Faculty Handbook, Policy on the Management of the Academic Catalogue, Rules for Changes to the Academic Catalogue, and other institutional documents, as applicable.
Following internal approval of substantive changes, the SACSCOC Institutional Accreditation Liaison sends the appropriate substantive change documentation to external entities, to include SACSCOC, in alignment with each organization’s internal requirements and deadlines.
Responsibility
The Faculty implement changes to the academic curriculum in alignment with the requirements outlined in the Policy on the Management of the Academic Catalogue and Rules for Changes to the Academic Catalogue. As applicable, they partner with the OIE for all substantive academic changes, which may include information about a program teach out, or faculty rosters, student learning outcomes, and other information required for the implementation of a new major.
For non-academic substantive changes, institutional stakeholders follow the procedures outlined in the Bylaws.
The OIE ensures substantive changes are reported to SACSCOC in alignment with the requirements outlined in the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy. Following SACSCOC notification or approval, the OIE notifies relevant stakeholders that the changes can be implemented. OIE is responsible for reviewing and updating this policy according to the schedule below.
Related Policies
SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy
Policy History
- Review and Implementation Date: December 23, 2020
- Subsequent Revisions: April 28, 2022; August 15, 2023, July 8, 2025
- Next Review Date: September 1, 2028