TSU Not So Happy With Being Put Back On Probation

​Texas Southern University, for years the never-ending fount of Bad News, rightly trumpeted word this summer when they were taken off probation by the agency that accredits them. (All right, you insist on the name of that group? The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. Have fun working that into a lede.)

Yesterday, however, the school got word that it was being put back on probation for a short time because of financial paperwork.

The school issued a statement this afternoon saying they don't agree with the decision, and that essentially they will rectify the situation as soon as they can get the paperwork from the state.

"First, it is very important to note that this issue has absolutely nothing to do with the integrity or security of the university's finances, as was misrepresented today in the newspaper," the statement from TSU president John Rudley says.
"The original SACS request did not include a requirement for Texas Southern to provide FY09 state audits of research and financial aid, which are not available from the state until January 2010," Rudley said. "Nor did they require the FY09 TSU financial audit, which we nonetheless had available for them. However, at the [recent] meeting the panel cited the need to receive the state audits as a reason to continue monitoring the university's progress."

TSU says it "absolutely disagree[s]" with SACS' decision, but will work closely with them to get the required paperwork.

The school remains fully accredited during the interim, which may last until April when SACS again visits the school.