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SACS puts Auburn on probation
By Regan Loyola Connolly
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn University was placed on 12 months probation Tuesday by a national accrediting agency that said the school violated rules regarding the school's board of trustees and intercollegiate athletics.
School officials said they were "disappointed and surprised" by the ruling, which is one step short of revoking Auburn's accreditation. Lack of accreditation would result in the loss of millions of dollars in federal funding, including federal financial aid.
Tuesday's ruling came from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools after a two-year investigation into allegations of micro-management in daily university affairs by the board of trustees, a violation of SACS standards.
Jack Allen, associate executive director for the association's Commission on Colleges, said specific details about Auburn's violations would not be released until a full report was sent to school leaders, but he said the ruling will not be taken lightly.
"Probation is a serious status that we have," Allen said.
Allen said the school violated the section of SACS' requirements that relates to "institutional commitment and responsibility," along with rules pertaining to financial control of intercollegiate athletics. Allen also said the report found Auburn in violation of rules regarding the governing board and its responsibilities.
Auburn University released a short statement on the action.
"We will continue to work earnestly to address any legitimate concerns. Auburn University will continue the strong pattern of progress and growth witnessed in recent years," the statement said.
Jack Venable was the only Auburn trustee who could be reached by phone Tuesday afternoon.
He said he wasn't comfortable discussing the ruling until he reviews SACS' report. He did say the university should be cooperative with the agency in trying to meet standards.
"My only reaction right now is that Auburn and the board of trustees needs to do whatever is necessary to make sure there is no loss of accreditation," he said.
Allen said a SACS committee will visit the school next fall and submit a report on the school's progress in correcting the violations. The report and Auburn's response to it will be presented for review to agency members in their yearly meeting next December.
"At that point we have several options -- Auburn can be removed from probation with no follow-up, with follow-up or the probation could be extended," Allen said. "There is always the possibility that the school could be removed from membership."
Jim Bradley, a professor of biology at Auburn, was chair of the Faculty Senate in 2001 when the group, along with students, staff members and alumni called on SACS to investigate Auburn after trustees fired then-President William Muse.
"One thing that this vindicates is the concerns of the stakeholding groups who voted no confidence in the trustees two and a half years ago," he said.
Bradley said SACS' findings uncover misconduct that dates back years.
"Some people think that the problems began two and a half years ago, but in fact, they are decades old and the problem has been chronic for as long as I have been here and acute and chronic for at least 15 years," he said.
Bradley has been on the faculty for 27 years.
"This is the first day of a new era for Auburn. It's a sad day when a university goes on probation, but this is the beginning of a new and much improved Auburn University," he said. "I am glad it is beginning today, but I am sad it didn't begin two and a half years ago."
Following the request for an investigation, then-interim president William Walker sued to block the investigation and a federal judge eventually appointed Georgia attorney Richard Y. Bradley as an independent investigator.
Bradley's first report in January 2003 said the trustees were not violating SACS regulations. The agency asked him to conduct a more detailed report, which SACS used in deciding to put Auburn on probation.
Judy Sheppard, a member of the Auburn chapter of the American Association of University Professors, said she was not surprised by SACS' findings.
"The handwriting has been on the wall for a good while," she said. "This is nothing that you would welcome, but if it's going to help bring about some change to the board of trustees and maybe get us a new president, that's good."
Sheppard, a journalism professor, said the association in a meeting Tuesday drafted a resolution that calls for the resignation of Walker for his "lack of ability to guide the university through a reaffirmation of its accreditation by SACS."
The resolution also calls for the resignation of trustees Earlon McWhorter, Byron Franklin and Robert Lowder, along with Athletic Director David Housel.
Disapproval for the university leaders stems from a secret trip Walker took to Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 20 to recruit football coach Bobby Petrino of the University of Louisville. Housel, Franklin and McWhorter were also on that trip, traveling in a plane owned by Colonial Bank, the company headed by Lowder.
Dr. Dent Williams, a member of the board of directors for the Auburn Alumni Association, said SACS' decision is devastating.
"It's no secret that there has been concern over the direction of Auburn's leadership over the past few years," he said. "We are devastated and our worst fears have been realized."
Gov. Bob Riley released a statement Tuesday saying his administration "is going to do everything it possibly can to make sure Auburn University retains its accreditation."
Jonathan McConnell, the president of the Auburn Student Government Association, said he was surprised by the agency's findings.
"I am really anxious to see what their reasons are for these criteria not being made," he said. "I look forward to getting these problems solved as quickly as we can so we can get this blemish removed from Auburn's record."
SACS puts Auburn on probation
By Regan Loyola Connolly
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn University was placed on 12 months probation Tuesday by a national accrediting agency that said the school violated rules regarding the school's board of trustees and intercollegiate athletics.
School officials said they were "disappointed and surprised" by the ruling, which is one step short of revoking Auburn's accreditation. Lack of accreditation would result in the loss of millions of dollars in federal funding, including federal financial aid.
Tuesday's ruling came from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools after a two-year investigation into allegations of micro-management in daily university affairs by the board of trustees, a violation of SACS standards.
Jack Allen, associate executive director for the association's Commission on Colleges, said specific details about Auburn's violations would not be released until a full report was sent to school leaders, but he said the ruling will not be taken lightly.
"Probation is a serious status that we have," Allen said.
Allen said the school violated the section of SACS' requirements that relates to "institutional commitment and responsibility," along with rules pertaining to financial control of intercollegiate athletics. Allen also said the report found Auburn in violation of rules regarding the governing board and its responsibilities.
Auburn University released a short statement on the action.
"We will continue to work earnestly to address any legitimate concerns. Auburn University will continue the strong pattern of progress and growth witnessed in recent years," the statement said.
Jack Venable was the only Auburn trustee who could be reached by phone Tuesday afternoon.
He said he wasn't comfortable discussing the ruling until he reviews SACS' report. He did say the university should be cooperative with the agency in trying to meet standards.
"My only reaction right now is that Auburn and the board of trustees needs to do whatever is necessary to make sure there is no loss of accreditation," he said.
Allen said a SACS committee will visit the school next fall and submit a report on the school's progress in correcting the violations. The report and Auburn's response to it will be presented for review to agency members in their yearly meeting next December.
"At that point we have several options -- Auburn can be removed from probation with no follow-up, with follow-up or the probation could be extended," Allen said. "There is always the possibility that the school could be removed from membership."
Jim Bradley, a professor of biology at Auburn, was chair of the Faculty Senate in 2001 when the group, along with students, staff members and alumni called on SACS to investigate Auburn after trustees fired then-President William Muse.
"One thing that this vindicates is the concerns of the stakeholding groups who voted no confidence in the trustees two and a half years ago," he said.
Bradley said SACS' findings uncover misconduct that dates back years.
"Some people think that the problems began two and a half years ago, but in fact, they are decades old and the problem has been chronic for as long as I have been here and acute and chronic for at least 15 years," he said.
Bradley has been on the faculty for 27 years.
"This is the first day of a new era for Auburn. It's a sad day when a university goes on probation, but this is the beginning of a new and much improved Auburn University," he said. "I am glad it is beginning today, but I am sad it didn't begin two and a half years ago."
Following the request for an investigation, then-interim president William Walker sued to block the investigation and a federal judge eventually appointed Georgia attorney Richard Y. Bradley as an independent investigator.
Bradley's first report in January 2003 said the trustees were not violating SACS regulations. The agency asked him to conduct a more detailed report, which SACS used in deciding to put Auburn on probation.
Judy Sheppard, a member of the Auburn chapter of the American Association of University Professors, said she was not surprised by SACS' findings.
"The handwriting has been on the wall for a good while," she said. "This is nothing that you would welcome, but if it's going to help bring about some change to the board of trustees and maybe get us a new president, that's good."
Sheppard, a journalism professor, said the association in a meeting Tuesday drafted a resolution that calls for the resignation of Walker for his "lack of ability to guide the university through a reaffirmation of its accreditation by SACS."
The resolution also calls for the resignation of trustees Earlon McWhorter, Byron Franklin and Robert Lowder, along with Athletic Director David Housel.
Disapproval for the university leaders stems from a secret trip Walker took to Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 20 to recruit football coach Bobby Petrino of the University of Louisville. Housel, Franklin and McWhorter were also on that trip, traveling in a plane owned by Colonial Bank, the company headed by Lowder.
Dr. Dent Williams, a member of the board of directors for the Auburn Alumni Association, said SACS' decision is devastating.
"It's no secret that there has been concern over the direction of Auburn's leadership over the past few years," he said. "We are devastated and our worst fears have been realized."
Gov. Bob Riley released a statement Tuesday saying his administration "is going to do everything it possibly can to make sure Auburn University retains its accreditation."
Jonathan McConnell, the president of the Auburn Student Government Association, said he was surprised by the agency's findings.
"I am really anxious to see what their reasons are for these criteria not being made," he said. "I look forward to getting these problems solved as quickly as we can so we can get this blemish removed from Auburn's record."