Coastal Carolina University President Ronald R. Ingle has been elected to the 77-member Commission on Colleges of the regional accrediting association, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Commission accredits approximately 780 colleges and universities throughout the southeastern region of the United States and in Latin America.

Commissioners are charged with preparing a statement of standards for institutional membership, recommending membership dues assessments, conducting reviews and taking final action on the accreditation of collegiate institutions, reviewing reports from appointed study committees, and overseeing the work of the Commission's administrative staff.

Accreditation is a non-governmental and voluntary process concerned with improving educational quality and assuring the public that member institutions meet established standards.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of six regional accrediting organizations in the United States. Its membership consists of more than 12,000 accredited public and private institutions from university level down to prekindergarten level. Founded in 1895 and headquartered in Decatur, Ga., the Southern Association works with schools and colleges in 11 Southern states from Virginia through Texas, in Mexico, the Caribbean, and in Central and South America.

Ingle has served as Coastal's president since 1993, when the institution became an independent public university. He joined Coastal in 1988 as vice chancellor of academic affairs.

Before coming to Coastal, Ingle held faculty and administrative positions at the University of South Carolina, The Ohio State University, Kennesaw College and South Georgia College.

A native of Moncks Corner, S.C., Ingle earned a bachelor's degree in English from Wofford College, a master's degree in higher education administration from Florida State University, and a Ph.D. in psychology from The Ohio State University.