Newberry College Receives Accreditation Reaffirmation

Record-breaking enrollment and fundraising results helped fuel accrediting agencys decision.

Newberry College has been fully reaffirmed for accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) the accrediting agency today announced. The College will next be reviewed as part of the regular SACSCOC five-year review process and undergo the complete reaffirmation process as normal in 2022.

We are truly delighted that the substantial effort that went into this reaffirmation process resulted in our full reaffirmation of accreditation, said Newberry College president Dr. Maurice Scherrens. We have worked hard to get to this point and SACSCOC, with its announcement today,has recognized and reaffirmed our position of strength.

Newberry College had been placed under sanction because of financial difficulties experienced during the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Under the guidance of a new president and senior leadership team, the College has affected a significant turnaround. Factors contributing to that success include:

Achieved a record high 379 incoming students

Achieved record high fundraising total of $4 million raised during FY2014

Reached highest ever level of unrestricted assets (based on FY2014 audited financial statements)

Ended the fiscal year with the highest possible financial condition index score from the U.S. Department of Education

Reduced institutional indebtedness

Favorably renegotiated several major service contracts for substantial savings

Addressed depreciation and deferred maintenance needs

Ended the year with a balanced budget and significant carry-forward

Newberry College has achieved remarkable results within a very short period of time under the leadership of Dr. Scherrens and his team, said Newberry College Board of Trustees chairman Hugo A. Pearce, III. The strength of his vision for the College, the productive and collaborative partnership he has forged with the Board of Trustees and his ability to focus the campus on its common goals have propelled Newberry College to a new level of achievement.

Newberry College initiated a rigorous examination of existing policies and procedures and methodically addressed the concerns raised by SACSCOC to emerge a stronger organization.

The process of earning reaffirmation after being placed on sanction is a comprehensive and time-consuming undertaking, Scherrens said. Successfully achieving reaffirmation requires both a strong sense of urgency and an unwavering commitment to change and continuous improvement.

As the College embarked on the reaffirmation process, President Scherrens first engaged the campus community to ensure they understood the challenges and embraced a shared vision for the future. He and his senior leadership team embarked on what has become an ongoing process of improving organizational effectiveness.

We are blessed with a vision-driven Board of Trustees and highly qualified and dedicated faculty and staff who consistently go above and beyond for the institution, Scherrens said. We could not have achieved these results without the support of our campus community and our loyal alumni and friends. Todays achievement is a team victory. Together, we have created a stronger Newberry College.

Dr. Maurice Scherrens was inaugurated as president of Newberry College on August 13, 2012. Now in the third year of his presidency, Scherrens and his leadership team are focused on guiding the institution to new levels of growth through enrollment increases, development of new, career-focused degree programs and renovation/new construction of facilities to better serve students.