SACS removes warning status

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS) officially removed A&M-Commerce's warning status at the organization's general meeting last weekend.

SACS announced the decision to the public yesterday at the business meeting of the College Delegate Assembly.

The sanction was placed on the university because SACS determined it did not have enough faculty to cover the amount of credit hours being served to students. This prompted a hiring spree by the university. President Dr. Dan Jones also said a more detailed report was given to SACS in order to demonstrate A&M-Commerce does have enough faculty to cover its operations.

"The Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs submitted a detailed response to the warning which included comprehensive documentation about the critical and central role that full-time faculty play in the life of the university in both teaching and governance," Jones said in an e-mail to faculty and staff.

A document from the Office of Business and Administration shows the university hired 23 people from Aug. 22- Sept. 1. Jones said in a previous East Texan article that 25 empty positions were filled since the university was placed on warning status in the summer and that 60 faculty searches were being conducted this year.

Jones, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Larry Lemanski, President of the Faculty Senate and Assistant Professor of Counseling Dr. LaVelle Hendricks, and other faculty attended the SACS general meeting.

"I appreciate the time and effort that these individuals committed to learning more about the accreditation process," Jones said about the delegation. "Each will be an important resource in our ongoing effort, now fully under way, to secure reaffirmation of accreditation."