St. Aug's regains accreditation

Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh is no longer under probation by its accreditation agency.

President Everett Ward said Tuesday that the university was removed from probationary status by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which last year cited financial and enrollment problems at the school. That probation threatened the university's accreditation status.

"I know how hard it has been, and you have stood with us in the most difficult times because you never failed to believe that we would reach this day," Ward told students and faculty.

Officials attribute the turnaround largely to fundraising and updating some outdated systems, according to a St. Aug's spokesman.

But the goal is for the university to maintain an enrollment of 1,000, and only 767 students are enrolled. Officials said they expect an upswing.

Losing accreditation would have meant losing Pell Grant funds, which help pay tuition for a majority of St. Aug's students.