Released in June, 2010, this publication features excerpts from presentations by HBCU trustees, chancellors and presidents as well as other education experts who candidly discuss issues surrounding accreditation at a unique meeting sponsored by the Southern Education Foundation.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) through its Commission on Colleges is the regional accrediting agency charged by the US Department of Education with responsibility to ensure that institutions of higher education in the South conform to prescribed standards. Only institutions which are accredited are eligible to receive federal student financial aid.

This publication captures exchanges of ideas and information about matters such as Board/executive relations, financial management, policymaking and oversight strategies and is “must” reading for anyone who wants to learn about best practices in higher education governance and how accrediting agencies function.

Because the South’s 77 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) enroll such large numbers of aid-eligible students and usually have small endowments, maintenance of accreditation status is a key to institutional survival. Accreditation is a way of ensuring proper use of public resources, promote accountability, advance best practices, and promote quality student learning outcomes consistent with institutional mission.