Important Information for Students, Prospective Students
and Parents about Southern Miss' SACS Probation

On Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) placed The University of Southern Mississippi on probation for a one-year period. While this sanction is both surprising and disappointing, Southern Miss is committed to addressing concerns of SACS in a forthright manner.

News of the SACS probation has prompted questions from students, prospective students and their parents. SACS has challenged Southern Miss to improve in the specific areas of assessment of institutional effectiveness and continuing education effectiveness. SACS has not expressed concern of any kind about academic quality or institutional integrity.

In an effort to provide that reassurance, Southern Miss would like to make clear to Southern Miss students, future students and parents the following:

• Southern Miss remains fully accredited. Federal funding and student aid are not threatened. The SACS probationary period allows us time to prove our compliance.
• The academic integrity of Southern Miss is not in question. The SACS action that resulted in the one-year probation included nothing about the institution's academic quality. Southern Miss is committed to maintaining, even enhancing, the quality of its academic programs.
• The SACS probation has no effect on the day-to-day commitment of the university community to its goal of teaching, research, service and economic development.
• Southern Miss has and will address in a forthright manner concerns cited by SACS.
• Southern Miss is cognizant of the investment students and parents have in a Southern Miss education, and is committed to maintaining the high value of a Southern Miss degree. In addition, the university will preserve its ability to receive federal funds for both the institution and its students.
• Southern Miss will keep all of its students, prospective students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and friends informed as to the progress we make in reporting to SACS and being removed from probation in December 2005.
• Many academic programs have national accrediting associations specific to their discipline. Of the 114 eligible accredited programs at Southern Miss, 112 are accredited.

For additional information on the SACS ruling at Southern Miss, visit www.usm.edu.