South Carolina State, Virginia State Removed From Accreditation Probation, Warning

Officials at South Carolina State University and Virginia State University today announced the lifting of their warning status with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges.

In separate announcements, officials at both universities credited the hard work of faculty and executive staff in demonstrating solvent plans in correcting a variety of issues including financial oversight, program maintenance and policy compliance. From a VSU release:

“Over the past few months, we have worked diligently to provide documentation that transparently addressed compliance with the relevant SACSCOC standards and committed to devoting the necessary resources to not only meet, but to exceed these accreditation standards,” says VSU President, Dr. Makola M. Abdullah. “This process has afforded us the opportunity to be intentional about enhancing policies, programs, services, and operations. We are confident that the findings released today will further secure VSU’s sustainability as a highly effective and fiscally stable university dedicated to providing opportunities for a quality education. We have remained committed to this mission since 1882.”

South Carolina State ends two years of accreditation probation status, and received full affirmation just one year after state legislators fired its board of trustees and appointed a temporary board which has helped to balance the university’s budget and eliminate more than $23 million in debt. From the Times and Democrat:

“We were very, very pleased,” said board Chairman Charles Way, who traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, with school officials Wednesday to make their case. The accreditation issue “was just hanging over our heads. A lot of parents don’t want to send their children to a school if it’s on probation.”