Alternative to SACSCOC aims to give universities more choice, less red tape
The Texas A&M University System is partnering with five other state university systems to launch a new accrediting agency designed for public colleges and universities. The move aims to offer an alternative to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which currently accredits most higher education institutions in the region.
The new agency — the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE) — is being created with support from leaders in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Officials say CPHE will focus on academic quality, student outcomes, and efficiency, with a framework specifically built for large public university systems.
According to reporting by the Texas Tribune, the Texas A&M System is not leaving SACSCOC immediately. CPHE is still in the early stages of development and must go through a multi-year process to earn federal and state recognition before it can officially accredit schools.
The effort follows the passage of Senate Bill 530, a law that allows Texas public universities to choose their accreditor instead of being assigned one based on geography. Supporters of the bill argued that institutions should have more flexibility and that regional accreditors have sometimes overstepped their role.
Critics of SACSCOC and other traditional accreditors say the current system imposes unnecessary burdens and may be influenced by political or ideological agendas. SACSCOC maintains that it does not require diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies but supports institutions in aligning with their own missions and student needs.
As reported by the Houston Chronicle, the creation of CPHE is one of the most significant challenges yet to the traditional accreditation landscape. It also reflects growing interest in tailoring higher education oversight to meet state-level priorities.
The Texas A&M University System, which includes Texas A&M University–Commerce and regional institutions like A&M–Texarkana and A&M–Central Texas, remains accredited through SACSCOC for now. But if CPHE is approved in the coming years, the system — and others — could shift to the new agency.
