Situation

A statewide system of public community colleges faced a legislative mandate to transition away from their longstanding institutional accreditor — one of the first requirements of its kind in the country. Institutions faced a multi-year process involving accreditor selection, demonstrating reasonable cause, managing internal change, and securing federal financial aid approval, without established precedent or dedicated capacity to navigate it.

Approach

TSG Advisors developed two complementary resources to equip both the system office and individual colleges. The first was a comprehensive Institutional Accreditation Toolkit that translated complex regulatory and procedural requirements into accessible, step-by-step guidance — covering accreditor review, federal approval processes, and institution-specific action planning. The second was a Community of Practice Facilitator Guide enabling the system office to launch a structured peer learning network, with a seven-session virtual meeting series covering accreditor selection, change management, resource planning, and stakeholder communication.

Result

TSG Advisors delivered two ready-to-implement resources that equipped the system office and its 58 colleges to approach an unprecedented transition with structure and confidence. The Toolkit gave college teams a self-directed roadmap; the Community of Practice Guide enabled peer learning across reaffirmation cohorts. Together, the resources reduced burden on individual institutions, promoted system-wide consistency, and positioned the system office as a proactive partner during one of the most significant policy shifts in the state's community college history.