Dr. David Mash, Lander University's provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, has been appointed to the board of trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the regional accrediting body for institutions of higher education in 11 states, including South Carolina, and Latin America. Each state is represented on the 77-member board, and Mash will be among six S.C. board members. Trustees are appointed for three-year terms.
Lander president Dr. Daniel Ball nominated Mash for the position. He said Mash has been the key player in the university's relationship with SACSCOC since becoming vice president and provost in 2012. "His abilities in navigating through the accreditation process have been recognized here at Lander and at other institutions where he has been a SACSCOC team member." Ball described Mash as a fine professional and said the appointment is good for the accrediting organization and Lander.
Mash said the appointment is a big honor and he expressed his gratitude to Ball for endorsing him for the position. He added, "It is a great opportunity to serve Lander and higher education."
He is no stranger to SACSCOC operations, having been involved with the organization since the 1990s. On three occasions, he was a member of a team of academic professionals who visited colleges and universities and made recommendations on reaffirmation of those schools to the board of trustees, which he is now joining. Mash said he is grateful for having had the opportunity to participate in public accountability and quality assurance in higher education.
He also views his appointment as giving Lander the advantage of having someone intimately acquainted with the reaffirmation process at every level.
Lander is preparing for its 10-year reaffirmation review in 2017, which is based on SACSCOC's rigorous standards, policies and procedures applied across the entire institution. Mash said, "We're in the self-audit phase, collecting data and taking a hard look at ourselves in the mirror."
According to Mash, the standards Lander and other institutions must meet for accreditation represent a consensus of best practices written by a wide range of higher education professionals at colleges and universities of all types across the South.
Mash joined Lander in January 2009 as dean of Library Services and director of the university's Larry A. Jackson Library. He came with a 25-year background in administration and academics, including experience as chief administrator and budget officer for libraries and campus information technology in New York and South Carolina.