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NSU scores with SACS, state audit

Jeremy M. Lazarus | 10/27/2015, 1:43 p.m.
Norfolk State University is finally getting some good news. Interim President Eddie N. Moore Jr. this week indicated that NSU …

Norfolk State University is finally getting some good news.

Interim President Eddie N. Moore Jr. this week indicated that NSU is on its way to having its accrediting agency remove the school from probation and restore it to unqualified accreditation.

Mr. Moore reported Tuesday that a special committee from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) spent three days on campus last week, and the “fundamental outcome of the committee’s assessment was that there were no recommendations for (NSU) based on their review. This is absolutely the best possible outcome.”

Last December, the SACS board found NSU in violation of at least 11 standards and placed the university on probation — the toughest sanction short of removing accreditation, which would shut off federal loans and grants to students. NSU essentially had until the committee’s visit to make corrections.

Mr. Moore stated that the special committee’s positive report and NSU’s own report on its actions to correct previous violations of SACS’ standards will be reviewed by the SACS board in December for a vote on NSU’s accreditation status.

Earlier this year, Mr. Moore expressed confidence that the probation would be lifted. He said at the time that NSU was making needed changes to meet SACS’ standards.

Separately, the state auditor has determined that the school’s finances now pass muster — a big step forward for the university, which has had to slash spending and cut instructors and staff to cope with a sharp decline in enrollment.

NSU had “no material deficiencies” — major problems — in its accounting and controls, the state Auditor of Public Accounts reported after reviewing the school’s financial statements for the 2015 fiscal year that ended June 30.

The complimentary state report was issued Oct. 12, just a day before members of the SACS committee arrived on campus. NSU put a rush on submitting its financial statements to ensure the latest audit would be ready for the visitors.

NSU ran into trouble with SACS in large part because of previous state audit reports criticizing the school for major financial miscues, including being a year or more behind in filing its financial reports.