2013 Keynote Speaker

We are pleased to announce that our keynote speaker will be Belle Wheelan,President of the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges. Those of you who have heard Dr. Wheelan speak know first-hand what a dynamic and engaging presenter she is. For those who have never heard her, you are indeed in for a treat.

Dr. Wheelan's keynote will be: “What’s Going on in the World of Accreditation?” Dr. Wheelan's keynote will challenge us to reexamine our role in assessing the quality of higher education, particularly as the public demands more accountability and the assessment landscape becomes more complex with innovations such as MOOCs.

Dr. Belle Wheelan currently serves as President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is the first African American and the first woman to serve in this capacity. Her career spans over 30 years and includes the roles of faculty member, chief student services officer, campus provost, college president and Secretary of Education. In several of those roles she was the first African American and/or woman to serve in those capacities.

Dr. Wheelan received her Bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in Texas (1972) with a double major in Psychology and Sociology; her Master’s from Louisiana State University (1974) in Developmental Educational Psychology; and her Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin (1984) in Educational Administration with a special concentration in community college leadership.