[CrimsonTide4]

Grambling University holds on to accreditation
2002/10/10 11:49 PM EDT


(Special to the NNPA)—Grambling University, one of the nation’s best-known historically black universities, will keep its accreditation, according to a Louisiana auditor who said the school earned a satisfactory audit review.

Financial management troubles for the school began in 1997 when its finance department installed a new computer program. The few staff members trained on the system left the school, and a 1998 and 1999 audit revealed a problem in financial record keeping.

State auditor Dan Kyle said that the state had not been able to issue an opinion on Grambling since 1997.

The school was facing a deadline for passing an audit of its most recent fiscal year, or it would lose accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

The organization put Grambling on probation in December 2001. Accreditation is an important factor in attracting public funds, students and faculty.

Already, the financial problems may have contributed to a decline in enrollment. In the mid-1990s, the school had about 7, 800 students, but the number has dropped to 4,462 students this year.

Grambling was founded by Black farmers in 1901 as a teachers’ school and has become famous for its marching band, and for the 57-year sports leadership of Eddie Robinson, known as the nation’s winningest football coach.

Grambling was one of 11 schools on probation with SACS, including six other HBCUs.