Dr. Belle Wheelan, the veteran higher-education leader who blazed trails throughout the South,
helping set and enforce uniform standards of performance for thousands of public and private
schools, quietly retired this summer after 20 years of service as President and CEO of the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. Among other duties,
SACSCOC conducts the ten-year reaffirmation period.
Dr. Wheelan was hailed by college administrators throughout the region, who noted at the
same time, that she could be tough. She said that many college administrators took issue with
her because they “didn’t do what they needed to during the ten-year reaffirmation period and
expected to be able to demonstrate compliance at the last minute.”
Convincing board members that their job was not to run the institution but govern it was a
recurring coaching task she undertook. Dr. Wheelan also urged school presidents “to get
involved as peer evaluators and not delegate it to someone else.”
Dr. Wheelan was no stranger to higher education in Nashville and beyond.
Fisk University has been in trouble with SACSCOC several times in recent years for being almost
financially destitute. Lane College, in Memphis, also faced financial struggles. Knoxville College
closed.
The Tennessee schools accredited by SACSCOC include Tennessee State University (TSU),
Vanderbilt, Fisk University, Belmont University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Aquinas College,
Nashville State Community College, Middle Tennessee State, University of Tennessee and
Southern Adventist University. They are among the hundreds of institutions who have faced
the ten-year reaffirmation period.
The reaffirmation period is part of the process schools undergo to maintain their certification as
legitimate educational institutions. This affects everything from issuing valid diplomas and
degrees to securing federal funds, grants and loans.
In Atlanta, where SACSCOC and several rating agencies operate, even prestigious institutes like
Morehouse University and Spelman University must gain the approval of SACSCOC.
Wheelan exited SACSCOC at the end of July, 20 years to the month after she took the job in July
of 2005. Her dedication has raised the quality, and fairness, of education in the South.
Institutions also tried to meet the aspirations of the “Dreamers,” children recently come to the
US in search of educational opportunities. Schools were admitting many “Dreamers” despite
their lack of citizenship which strained school financial resources. The many policy changes and
legal challenges complicated the mission of SACSCOC.
One of the final confrontations Dr. Wheelan faced was the challenge of DEI – Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion policies of institutions. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a colleague and supporter
of President Trump, ordered Florida institutions to stop implementing DEI policies or lose their
state funding and accreditation. Other Republican Governors, including Governor Lee of
Tennessee, followed suit.
Trump has continued to pursue the shutdown of DEI programs in colleges and universities
including Columbia University in New York, Harvard University in Boston and University of
California.
Institutions have sought federal relief in courts for millions of dollars lost by Trump.
Neverthless, Dr. Wheelan leaves behind a legacy of excellence.
