Goods News and Bad News on Accreditation of Black Colleges

After two years on probation, LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis received a favorable accreditation ruling from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The college had received pledges of more than $4 million to keep it financially viable. This undoubtedly was the major factor in the school’s receiving accreditation for the next 10 years. Dillard University, the historically black educational institution in New Orleans which had experienced financial difficulties over the past several years, also received a favorable ruling from the SACS.

Florida A&M University was not so lucky. The association decided to keep FAMU on probation for the next six months. The decision came just after a state auditor issued a clean bill of health for the university, prompting FAMU president James Ammons to call the accreditation decision “very disappointing.” Ammons stated that the new audit report may not have reached the commissioners in time for them to factor it into their deliberations on accreditation.

Also, the accrediting body placed Texas Southern University, the historically black educational institution in Houston, on probation. Texas Southern University has had numerous financial difficulties in recent years which apparently were the major factors in the decision to place the university on probation.

Copyright © 2007. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.