Tennessee State University trustees were told Nov. 21 that the university is ahead of schedule preparing its SACSCOC fifth-year interim report and is showing measurable gains in student progression and graduation planning.

Dr. Anderson, speaking for Academic Affairs, said the university submitted a fourth draft of the interim report on Oct. 14 and received consultant feedback on Nov. 5. "Of the 22 standards, 17 of those were recognized as being in compliance per their professional judgment," Anderson said, adding the university expects to submit to SACSCOC’s portal by March 1, 2026, with a committee review to follow in April and a response window thereafter.

Provost Melson emphasized student-performance gains and new interventions. She said first-year progression has improved: "This fall, for our first-time freshmen, we have a 78, really, it's 79% progression, meaning that our first-time freshmen have 15 plus hours starting them out," which Melson and staff said will place more students on track to graduate.

Melson also cited a drop in probation and suspension rates, noting that Fall 2024 suspension stood at about 0.9 percent compared with earlier highs near 7 percent. She credited advisors, faculty and new academic programming — including intensive winter and summer terms — for improving course loads and persistence.

Trustees were given a graduation plan that staggers commencement into three student-centered ceremonies to better accommodate families and program logistics. Melson said 638 candidates are expected at the upcoming December ceremonies, and the university projects roughly 1,686 candidates for spring 2026, which she said could raise the overall graduation rate by about 10 percentage points.

Why it matters: SACSCOC status determines institutional eligibility for federal Title IV aid and is a required element of long-term accreditation. Trustees were briefed on the remaining documentation needed to close five standards and on a timeline that keeps TSU on track for its next formal review.

What’s next: Academic Affairs will finalize a near–final draft in late November and insert fall-2025 data in January before portal submission. Trustees said they expect periodic progress updates as the university completes the remaining standards.