In A Flash

SUNO accreditation renewed despite previous financial struggles

By: JC Canicosa - December 8, 2021 9:27 pm

Aerial view of Southern University at New Orleans (Courtesy of SUNO)

Southern University at New Orleans had their accreditation renewed for another 10 years even after being placed on financial probation in 2019, the university announced Wednesday.

“The reaffirmation of accreditation sends a strong message to our students and to the larger community that our university has stable resources,” James H. Ammons, Jr., chancellor of SUNO, said. “We have the financial resources that we need to support our mission and our programs.”

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Accreditation is the certification that a college or university meets certain financial, educational and professional standards. To be reaffirmed, an institution has to demonstrate compliance with over 73 standards.

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Schools receive accreditations from agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The agency responsible for reviewing SUNO’s accreditation status is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS).

SACS placed SUNO on financial probation in 2019, as the university reported a $7.7 million deficit during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Ammons said.

“We were able to identify all of the root causes of the deficit, correct them and the university was removed from probation in the late summer of 2020,” he said.

Adjusting the budget included suspending SUNO’s athletics program. The university’s basketball and volleyball programs will be returning next school year– with a mandatory $100 student fee for SUNO students to help shoulder the cost.

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JC Canicosa

JC Canicosa is a former Louisiana Illuminator reporter. Prior to working with the Illuminator, Canicosa worked for Investigate-TV and The Loyola Maroon. Canicosa earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Loyola University New Orleans. At Loyola, he was the senior staff writer at The Maroon and the president of the school's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Off the clock, Canicosa enjoys playing basketball, watching movies and dabbling in comedy writing.