SACS Compliance Certification Report (PDF) - South Florida State ...

2.1Degree-granting AuthorityThe institution has degree-granting authority from the appropriate government agency or agencies.JudgmentCompliant Non-Compliant Not ApplicableNarrativeSouth Florida Community College (SFCC) received its authorization to grant degrees from the State ofFlorida in 1965 and has been in continuous operation since August 1966. The institution is defined as acommunity college by Florida Statute (FS) 1000.21.FS 1004.65 provides overall authority for community colleges, including authority for all of the degreesand certificates that are offered. Paragraph 8 of this section specifically authorizes community collegesto grant Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well ascertificates and diplomas for career education programs with lesser academic or technical requirements.FS 1001.65 states that the responsibility for awarding these degrees belongs to the college's President,while FS 1001.64 grants the college's District Board of Trustees the authority to adopt rules thatestablish performance standards for the awarding of degrees and certificates. State Boardof Education (SBE) Rule 6A-14.030 contains the basic requirements and courses of study authorizedby Florida Statutes for degrees, diplomas, and certificates.SourcesFS 1000.21, Systemwide DefinitionsFS 1001.64, Community College Boards of Trustees; Powers and DutiesFS 1001.65, Community College Presidents; Powers and DutiesFS 1004.65, Florida Colleges; Governance, Mission, and ResponsibilitiesSBE Rule 6A-14.030, Instruction and Awards in Community Colleges2.2Governing BoardThe institution has a governing board of at least five members that is the legal body with specificauthority over the institution. The board is an active policy-making body for the institution and isultimately responsible for ensuring that the financial resources of the institution are adequate to providea sound educational program. The board is not controlled by a minority of board members or byorganizations or interests separate from it. Both the presiding officer of the board and a majority of othervoting members of the board are free of any contractual, employment, or personal or familial financialinterest in the institution.A military institution authorized and operated by the federal government to award degrees has a publicboard on which both the presiding officer and a majority of the other members are neither civilianemployees of the military nor active/retired military. The board has broad and significant influence uponthe institution’s programs and operations, plays an active role in policy-making, and ensures that thefinancial resources of the institution are used to provide a sound educational program. The board is notSouth Florida Community College Page 1 / 202controlled by a minority of board members or by organizations or interests separate from the boardexcept as specified by the authorizing legislation. Both the presiding officer of the board and a majorityof other voting board members are free of any contractual, employment, or personal or familial financial