Lipscomb University accreditation reaffirmed with no recommendations for improvement
Reaccreditation marks 30 years of continuous excellence and national leadership in higher education
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University has once again achieved a significant milestone in higher education excellence, receiving reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) with no recommendations for improvement. The announcement was made this week during the commission’s annual meeting in Nashville.
This marks the third consecutive 10-year reaffirmation process in which Lipscomb has received an overwhelmingly positive review, with no recommendations. This rare achievement underscores the university’s commitment to academic rigor, excellence and student success.
“Earning reaffirmation with no recommendations for the third consecutive time — spanning 30 years — is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to the dedication to excellence of our entire Lipscomb community,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “This outcome affirms our mission to prepare students for lives of purpose by recognizing the strength of our rigorous academics and the transformative experiences we provide. I am deeply grateful to our faculty, staff and leadership team for their tireless work and their commitment to upholding the highest standards in higher education. This will have a meaningful impact on the future of this institution.”
The reaffirmation follows an extensive review process, including both on-site and off-site evaluations, to ensure Lipscomb continues to meet or exceed national standards for academic quality and institutional effectiveness.
“The overwhelmingly positive review from SACSCOC is a direct result of the collective efforts of our faculty, staff and administration. Their commitment to excellence and innovation ensures that Lipscomb remains a leader in higher education, providing students with exceptional opportunities for growth and learning,” said Provost Jennifer Shewmaker. “I could not be more proud of the work they do each day to elevate our academic mission and create an environment where students can flourish.”
Over the past two years, faculty and staff contributed hundreds of pages of documentation and developed the university’s new POWERS (Power of Words Rhetorical Sequence) Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which focuses on empowering students with essential communication skills for lifelong success. Recognizing the evolving needs of an increasingly digital world and its impact on human interaction, Lipscomb has reimagined its approach to writing and communication instruction through the new POWERS initiative. This innovative approach equips students with essential skills to think critically, express themselves effectively and navigate diverse communication platforms, ensuring they are prepared for success in their careers and their broader communities. As part of the SACSCOC accreditation reaffirmation process, universities are required to develop a QEP that identifies an area of student learning in need of enhancement and aligns with the institution’s mission and values. This initiative, selected by the faculty, represents a university-wide commitment to continuous improvement, ensuring that Lipscomb remains responsive to the changing needs of its students.
Lipscomb’s SACSCOC Reaffirmation Leadership Team included Shewmaker; Brandi Kellett, professor and chair, Department of English and Modern Languages; Catherine Terry, director of institutional effectiveness and SACSCOC liaison; Randy Bouldin, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences; Jeff Baughn, senior vice president finance and technology; and Brian Mast, senior vice president of student affairs, whose leadership and attention to detail were instrumental in guiding the process to a successful conclusion.
The reaffirmation process is conducted every 10 years. Lipscomb hosted a SACSCOC on-site reaffirmation committee in March in preparation for the December reaffirmation. SACSCOC is the regional accrediting body for institutions awarding degrees at the baccalaureate, master's and doctoral levels. It accredits higher education institutions in the Southern states and serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites approved by the commission.
Lipscomb continues to distinguish itself as one of the leading Christian universities in the nation. This fall, Lipscomb climbed 22 spots in the U.S. News 2026 Best Colleges National Universities rankings and jumped 50 spots in the Top Performers on Social Mobility – National Universities category. Lipscomb was recently named a 2025 Best College by Forbes, ranked the No. 13 Christian university in the nation by Niche.com, included on the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. list and awarded a four-star rating in Money magazine’s 2025 Best Colleges. Last year, Lipscomb was also recognized for the first time as a Great College to Work For, with only 2% of institutions across the country earning this prestigious designation. In addition, Lipscomb’s College of Education and the College of Pharmacy and Pfeffer Graduate School of Business were all recognized by U.S. News & World Report as being among the best in the nation. Lipscomb’s Honors College was named an ACTA Hidden Gem; the College of Business was ranked among the top 50 undergraduate programs in the nation for the ninth consecutive year and No. 1 in Tennessee by Poets&Quants for Undergrads in its annual Best Undergrad Business Schools 2025 rankings; and for the 13th consecutive year, the College of Education was recognized as one of the most effective teacher and leader preparation programs in Tennessee.
Lipscomb is a university on the move as it once again set enrollment records this fall. The university set an all-time record with an official total enrollment of 4,919. Contributing to this record is the largest class of new freshmen in university history for the third consecutive year; first-day graduate enrollment numbers indicating an 11% increase in total graduate enrollment, including a 16% increase in new graduate students; a record first-day freshman-to-sophomore retention rate of 87.4%; the largest number of new students in Lipscomb Online programs; and the largest total number of military-connected students ever with 412 students.
Located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, Lipscomb University is a Christ-centered community that is one of the few institutions in the nation offering educational pathways from age two through the doctoral level. Students can begin their journey at Lipscomb Academy’s SEED School and continue through a full spectrum of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs—making Lipscomb a unique two-year-old to Ph.D. institution. With an enrollment of more than 4,800 university students and over 1,400 at Lipscomb Academy, the institution is deeply embedded in the Middle Tennessee community, committed to shaping lives of character, leadership and service. Its rigorous academic programs are paired with life-transforming experiences, all guided by a mission to prepare students for lives of purpose. For more information, visit www.lipscomb.edu.