news at welch college   Welch College in Gallatin, Tennessee, has been the official college of the Free Will Baptist Denomination since 1942. To find out more information about the school, visit www.Welch.edu.

Welch Accreditation Reaffirmed for Ten Years

In a meeting held December 2, 2021, the Board of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) voted to reaffirm the accreditation of Welch College for ten years until 2031, according to Dr. Kevin Hester, vice president for institutional effectiveness at Welch. The reaffirmation decision was announced in the annual delegate assembly held Tuesday, December 7. SACSCOC is the primary institutional accreditor for higher education in the Southeast region.*

“This reaffirmation by SACSCOC reflects the outstanding work done by Welch College’s administration, faculty, and staff to meet rigorous standards of compliance,” said Hester, who led the reaffirmation process. “This decision serves as an important external confirmation of what every employee and student associated with Welch College knows, that Welch is fully committed to excellence in biblical higher education. I would like to express my deepest thanks to the members of the Compliance Committee for their dedicated work in shepherding this successful reaffirmation process.”

Welch College has a long history as an accredited institution. The college has been accredited by the Association of Biblical Higher Education’s Commission on Accreditation (ABHECOA) since 1958 and first received accreditation by SACSCOC in 1996. This makes the third successful reaffirmation decision for Welch College by this body (2001, 2011, and 2021).

Provost Matthew McAffee, chief academic officer at Welch, said, “The reaffirmation process is long and arduous in the best of circumstances. This particular accreditation cycle has been especially challenging in light of COVID-19 realities. For these reasons, we are especially thankful to the Lord for bringing us through it successfully!”

Welch President Matt Pinson said, “This vote is the final act following an intensive, multi-year, peer review process to verify the institutional quality of Welch College, its facilities, staff, and educational programs according to 14 rigorous principles of accreditation. The decennial review is a comprehensive examination of the College that engages the entire campus community in documenting compliance with these principles.”

The Compliance Committee began its work in the spring of 2019 and subsequently submitted a compliance certification report, and a focused report in advance of a virtual on-site committee visit April 5-8, 2021. During this visit, Welch College board members, administrators, faculty, staff, and students engaged with the visiting committee in validating the quality of the institution and its academic programs.

For more information about Welch College and its academic and student life programs, visit www.Welch.edu.

Jennifer Thompson Joins Welch Staff

Mrs. Jennifer Thompson joined Welch College as administrative assistant to Dr. Greg Ketteman, the vice president of strategic initiatives, and to William Slater, dean of adult and online studies.
Thompson is a Sumner County resident with 20-plus years of experience as an administrative assistant in law firms, a local Christian school, and, most recently, a nationwide non-profit organization based in Sumner County.

The new role combines the part-time roles of administrative assistant to the vice president of strategic initiatives, formerly held by Sherry Russell, who retired in the summer, and online and adult studies assistant, currently held by Alyssa Hill, who will now work full-time in the financial aid office and the business office.

Mrs. Thompson and her husband have two adult sons and four grandchildren.

Ketteman said, “We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Thompson to the Welch team. She brings experience, a reputation for excellent work, and a strong Christian testimony to her role.”
Slater, who previously worked with Mrs. Thompson when he was headmaster at Hendersonville Christian Academy, stated, “Working with Mrs. Thompson again is a great joy. I have known her and her husband, Bo, for over 20 years. Her professionalism and commitment to ministry will be a great asset to the college.”