Dr. DeFoor Receives SACSCOC Award and Invitation to Instruct at the Reimaged Summer Institute
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. —Young Harris College is pleased to announce Dr. Keith DeFoor, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison, has received the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ (SACSCOC) 2022 Carol A. Luthman Meritorious Service Award. SACSCOC has also invited Dr. DeFoor to its reimagined 2023 Summer Institute in Dallas, Texas, as a Peer Instructor.
SACSCOC‘s 2022 Carol A. Luthman Meritorious Service Award was presented to Dr. DeFoor at the SACSCOC Annual Meeting in Atlanta this past December. Over the years, Dr. DeFoor has been dedicated to SACSCOC and the accreditation process in multiple capacities, earning him the respect of his peers for the meritorious quality of his service. Dr. DeFoor has performed 26 SACSCOC Committee Reviews of peer institutions, 13 of which he has served as Chair. He also led Young Harris College’s transition from SACSCOC Level II to Level III in 2018, which allows the Institution to award master’s degrees, and managed Young Harris College’s reaffirmation of SACSCOC accreditation, which culminated in 2021.
“Dr. DeFoor has dedicated a significant portion of his professional career to serving SACSCOC in many capacities,” said Young Harris College President, Dr. Van Horn. “To be the recipient of the Carol A. Luthman Meritorious Service Award is a high honor that is well deserved. Dr. DeFoor’s reputation for honesty, caring, and service is well known by the SACSCOC community. Keith has brought honor to the College, the academy, and himself. I am very proud of him.”
As a Peer Instructor at the SACSCOC 2023 Summer Institute, Dr. DeFoor has been selected to guide administrators and faculty from peer institutions through one of four tracks, featuring workshops, defined learning outcomes, and in-depth discussions and activities. Dr. DeFoor will have the honor and responsibility of instructing between 200 and 250 SACSCOC participants in the track “Engaging Faculty and Academic Administrators with SACSCOC Accreditations Standards.” Dr. DeFoor will instruct alongside Dr. Clayton Hess, President of Lincoln Memorial University, and Dr. Sobia Khan, Provost of Valencia College’s East and Lake Nona Campuses.
Having been selected to present at the reimaged SACSCOC 2023 Summer Institute, Peer Instructors like Dr. DeFoor have been trusted with the task of laying the groundwork for a re-visioned, curated learning experience for members of SACSCOC. Not only will his track’s presentations develop effective strategies for improving assessment practices, but they will also enhance attendees’ understanding of fifteen select standards from the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation through case studies and exercises involving interpretation and analysis.
“I am deeply honored to receive the SACSCOC Luthman Meritorious Service Award and to be a peer instructor at the SACSCOC Summer Institute,” said Dr. DeFoor. He is currently determining the reading material and assignments that will prepare attendees to be fully engaged in the track. As an accomplished instructor with years of experience chairing SACSCOC review committees, Dr. DeFoor will be contributing to the track’s syllabus in a way that ensures an intentional learning experience for all participants.
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has four academic divisions: Fine Arts; Humanities; Mathematics, Science and Technology; and Professional Studies. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
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