Former Chancellor Dr. Sandra Jordan, new vice president of SACSCOC

After stepping down from her position as chancellor at the University of South Carolina - Aiken, Dr. Sandra Jordan has accepted the position of vice president for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

SACSCOC is the administrative body responsible for accrediting degree-granting higher education institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Latin America as well as member institutions in an additional 39 states and more internationally. “In the U.S., the accrediting bodies have the responsibility to work with their member institutions to advance national educational standards and focus on improvement and institutional accountability. As SACSCOC vice president, I’ll be working directly with institutions to coordinate and support this mission.”

SACSCOC is not exactly new to Dr. Jordan — she has been involved with the organization for over twenty years between volunteering to serve on accreditation teams, chairing committees, and serving on boards. “Because of that extended work, I know many of the professionals here very well. In fact, my first day was like a homecoming!”

Dr. Jordan’s passion for higher education allowed her to accept this as an opportunity to “use [her] 30+ years of experience … [to] give back to the profession as well as … put [her] perspectives and experiences to work in a new way.” She places an emphasis on how higher education directly fosters “greater social equity, [produces a prepared and] educated workforce, enhance[s] citizenship, and generate[s] greater individual opportunity.”

As the university’s first female chancellor, she is a role model, “encourag[ing] women and under-represented professionals to ‘lean in,’ and prepare so they can achieve their dreams.” Carol Johnson, former Savannah River Site president, and Dr. Jordan are discussing collaborating on a “practical book on leadership that is forced on the unique issues of women executive leaders, including balancing the demands of work and family life, addressing bias, advocating for fair salaries, and building stronger negotiating skills.”

Dr. Jordan mentioned that she is “delighted with what [Dr. Heimmerman] is accomplishing [and] also very happy to hear that he and his family are settling into the community and that Aiken is making him feel welcome!”

SACSCOC president, Dr. Wheelan, has made it possible for Dr. Jordan to work from home some of each week, but she’s also renting a tiny apartment in North Druid Hills just Northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. This way, she may work closely with SACSCOC professionals without getting homesick. She’s getting well acquainted with the Atlanta lifestyle: “I’m experiencing the rush hours! I do miss the beauty of Aiken’s downtown but, I have to say the shopping is more varied in Atlanta!”

Reflecting on her achievements that preserve her legacy at the university, she recalled improvements like “becoming a more diverse university; expanding out town and gown relationships; collaborating on the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative with Savannah River Nuclear Laboratory, the Dreamport with the National Guard, and the Scholars Academy with the Aiken County School District; becoming a Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges institution, and expanding curriculum opportunities in many fields.”

Students can expect to see her on campus when appropriate and feasible: “A herd of wild horses won’t be able to keep me away from USCA!”