The University of North Texas at Dallas has earned reaffirmation of its accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The accrediting organization made the announcement as part of its annual meetings held this week in New Orleans.

SACSCOC assures education quality for more than 800 institutions across 11 states. An institution must be reaffirmed five years after it gains Initial accreditation. UNT Dallas first received accreditation in 2013.

“This is an important day, and maintaining accreditation comes as a testament to the tireless work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students,” said Dr. Betty Stewart, UNT Dallas Provost. “To have our accreditation reaffirmed validates for our students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, partners and the communities we serve in the southern sector of Dallas, that UNT Dallas is committed to providing affordable, high-quality academic programs and superior student support services.”
As part of the reaffirmation process, UNT Dallas developed a Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP, designed for institutional improvement. That plan, “Career Readiness Education,” or “CRED,” is designed to ensure our students are prepared to excel in the workplace, and to integrate existing programs and resources to help build a culture where UNT Dallas students are self-motivated to pursue knowledge for professional success.

“Our continuing accreditation means the City of Dallas, and the students in southern Dallas and beyond, can count on UNT Dallas’ commitment that every student has the opportunity to earn a college degree, regardless of their economic background,” UNT Dallas President Bob Mong said.

UNT Dallas opened in 2000 as an extension campus of UNT in leased space at an office park on Hampton Rd., in the southern sector of Dallas. The first building at its permanent location on University Hills Blvd., opened in January 2007. 

After meeting an enrollment goal of 1,000 full-time equivalent students in Spring 2009, the State of Texas authorized UNT Dallas to begin operations as a general academic institution on Sept. 1, 2010.

Over the last three years, enrollment has increased by 51 percent to more than 3,750 students in Fall 2018, record enrollment for a third consecutive fall. Retention and graduate rates have also sharply increased during that time.

Now with three buildings on campus, including a filled-to-capacity residence hall, UNT Dallas will open its fourth building in the spring, the $63-million, 136,000-square-foot Student Center that will become an instant icon on the growing campus.