Looks like Oglethorpe University, located in DeKalb County, has a rough road ahead and remains in danger of losing accreditation after a review released this week by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The school’s financial stability is a major area of concern, according to SACS, the main agency responsible for accrediting degree-granting institutions in eleven Southern states and Latin America.
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Cheap shot Rogue, Straighten up and fly right…
Oglethorpe is facing severe financial issues and has taken steps to correct them. That’s why SAC extended the ‘double extra secret probation’ another year.
I’ll bet this has more to do with standardization rather than Oglethorpe cranking out a bunch of drooling morons. Of course that’s just my “drive by analysis” (when I drive by I don’t see a bunch of retards playing jump rope on the front lawn)
I don’t know what “standardization” is, but the problems are purely financial. Oglethorpe is a small, private college. They don’t have the endowment of an Emory, and SACS is concerned of their future ability to fund programs to minimum standards. This is not a new problem for them, but the fact that their probation has rolled over is somewhat encouraging, I guess.
This is the letter from OU President’s office:
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools recently posted a note on its website that the warning status given to the university last December will continue for the coming year. While a number of the issues flagged last year have been resolved, we have been asked to continue to demonstrate a history of financial strength. Oglethorpe remains fully accredited and is not on probationary status. We were, of course, disappointed with this news, but we also know that the underlying causes of the issue have been addressed and that we have made significant progress.
In the last fiscal year, ending June 30, 2008, Oglethorpe experienced a positive cash flow in excess of $500,000. We have seen record fundraising for four years and completed over $25 million dollars in campus enhancements during that time. In 2008, we set a record for first-year enrollment (a 30% increase in one year) and for next fall, we are on pace to receive over 5,000 applications for an entering class of 300. We have been able to decrease our operating expenses over time and keep the costs to families low in relationship to the education we provide.
An Oglethorpe education remains a unique opportunity and a great value, recognized by The Princeton Review of Best Colleges and Universities, the newly-published Colleges of Distinction, and named two years in a row to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the only private Georgia college or university so honored.
We have prepared a set of frequently asked questions which you can find on our website http://www.oglethorpe.edu (key word: accreditation) and I want to include these here for you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Oglethorpe University and the SACS Warning
Q. Who is the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools, also known as SACS?
A. The Southern Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS) is the regional accrediting body for more 13,000 schools and school systems in the United States and overseas. For details about SACS and further information, please visit: http://www.sacscoc.org
Q. Does this SACS Warning status affect Oglethorpe’s accreditation or its ability to award degrees?
A. The SACS Warning affects neither Oglethorpe’s accreditation nor any of its degree programs. Oglethorpe’s 1996 reaffirmation of accreditation continues in effect and Oglethorpe remains accredited.
Oglethorpe University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone 404-679-4500) to award bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees. The graduate teacher education program is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
Q. How does this affect my Oglethorpe degree?
A. Your degree is not impacted at all. You will be earning your degree from an accredited university and you will have all the rights and privileges pertaining to the degree you are awarded.
Q. How will the SACS Warning affect my financial aid?
A. Your financial aid will not be impacted. Oglethorpe University will continue to honor its agreements and contracts with incoming and current students. For specific information concerning your financial aid package, please speak with the Financial Aid Office or visit http://www.oglethorpe.edu/administrative/financial_aid/.
Q. How will this impact enrollment?
A. We continue to attract students in record numbers and do not expect a negative impact on enrollment. In the fall of 2008, we welcomed the largest first-year class in the history of Oglethorpe and applications for the fall of 2009 are at record levels.
Q. Does Oglethorpe have a financial problem?
A. While Oglethorpe would not be considered one of the wealthy private schools, our balance sheet is strong with net assets over $40 Million dollars. Oglethorpe operates with a balanced budget and prudent financial practices. Like many institutions and many families, we are continually monitoring our finances to see us safely through these difficult financial times. The 2007-2008 year completed a three-year run of record philanthropic receipts. The entering first-year class of traditional full-time students in the fall of 2008 grew 30% over the previous year.
Q. When and why did SACS place Oglethorpe on Warning?
A. Oglethorpe was placed on Warning on December 7, 2007 with an additional report requested which addressed the university’s operations with regard to business, finance and financial aid. This report was submitted to SACS in September 2008 and reported that our cash flow was positive for the year, that there were no material weaknesses found in our independent audits and that there were no outstanding financial aid issues with the Department of Education. At its meeting on December 9, 2008, SACS decided to continue Oglethorpe on Warning for an additional twelve months and asked that we submit another report in 2009.
Q. How long will the Warning last?
A. The warning will last until SACS’ next meeting in December 2009.
Q. What specific steps is Oglethorpe taking to ensure compliance in a timely manner?
A. The steps that were put in place last year that resulted in a balanced budget, audits without any material weaknesses and no outstanding issues in regard to financial aid practices will be continued during the coming year. We carefully and constantly monitor our financial condition and our financial practices to make certain that we remain fully in compliance.
Q. Who is overseeing this process?
A. The university president and his cabinet with oversight from our Board of Trustees.
Q. When will parents, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other stakeholders be notified of Oglethorpe’s removal from Warning status?
A. Oglethorpe will receive official word on December 8, 2009. Notification will be posted to the university web site http://www.oglethorpe.edu when official word is received.
We are committed to providing our students an outstanding educational opportunity and assure you that:
· Oglethorpe University remains fully accredited.
· Oglethorpe’s net assets are strong.
· Federal funding and student financial aid are not threatened or jeopardized.
· Oglethorpe’s academic programs and their quality are not negatively impacted. Programs will continue to be enhanced.
We are Georgia’s only coeducational member of the Annapolis Group, an organization of America’s most selective 100 liberal arts institutions.
Oglethorpe is the only private higher education institution in Georgia to be named to the President’s Honor Roll for Community Service in 2007 and 2008.
Oglethorpe University is one of only six Georgia higher education institutions recognized in the 2008-2009 edition of Colleges of Distinction.
The university is listed by The Princeton Review among the country’s Best 368 Colleges.
Oglethorpe is identified among America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News and World Report.
· Oglethorpe graduates are admitted to the most prestigious graduate programs in the world.
Oglethorpe will communicate the decision by SACS in December 2009, once official word is received.
Which Wall Street investment firm is planning on buying their probation roll-over, so they can be bailed out?
The risk is currently being spread over an arbitrage synthetic CDO underwritten by Daddy Warbucks.
Well if the government would just back the tuition of students who can put 10% down…
Cheap shot Rogue, Straighten up and fly right…
Or you could grow a skin thicker than tissue paper and just deal with it! Geez, guy! Relax…you’ve live longer.
WE all care what we care about, and if we don’t care about anything, then why bother? Not so much thin skin, more at mild annoyance of folks that slam others for no apparent gain. Makes PP seem like National Enquirer instead of a political sounding board.
I just don’t like your tone, been reading your stuff for awhile, and I think you have a wonderful sense of snark, coupled with an absolute lack of productive solutions.
“Use your front page powers, 109, the Force is with you.”
Peace out, baby,
Methinks the whole “Board of Trustees” concept may not really compute with these accrediting associations’ bean counters.
I just don’t like your tone…
Shouldn’t this have been followed by “young man!” ?
@Bill Simon
He he he.
@Game Fan
Positively brilliant observation, really on the mark.
But, but, but they’re in Dekalb! They must be rotten to the core!
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