Email from President Alison Morrison-Shetlar to the Lynchburg Community:
Dear University of Lynchburg Community,
I am writing to provide an update on the University of Lynchburg’s recent reaffirmation review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
I am pleased to share that on Dec. 10, 2024, SACSCOC informed us that the University of Lynchburg remains accredited. However, the full reaffirmation process is not complete. SACSCOC has placed us on warning status until we address some remaining areas for improvement. They have given us an additional year to demonstrate our compliance.
This was not wholly unexpected. As you know, the University has already transformed in many ways this year — great things are happening with our students, and our rankings are steadily climbing. So allow me to explain the nuances of this news so we all understand what it means.
Areas for Improvement:
As it does for every institution during the reaffirmation process, SACSCOC has identified specific areas for continuous improvement. In our instance, we will partner with them to further strengthen the University’s compliance with the following standards:
- Standard 7.3 (Administrative effectiveness)
- Standard 8.2.a (Student outcomes: educational programs)
- Standard 8.2.c (Student outcomes: academic and student services)
- Core Requirement 13.2 (Financial documents)
- Standard 13.3 (Financial responsibility)
What does this mean?
As I have said previously, we are committed to our mission of cultivating an innovative, authentic, and inclusive world by inspiring independent thinkers who become trustworthy, effective leaders who shape caring communities.
The changes made several months ago to right-size our university and accomplish this vision and mission will have a significant financial impact — the impact of which will not be fully realized within the next 12 months. And essentially, today’s news means SACSCOC has accelerated our timeline to reach our goals.
We must remain on the course we have set but also put two more action plans in place:
- 1. Continue our deep assessment of our expenses to find additional savings.
- 2. Increase both undergraduate and graduate enrollment this spring and upcoming fall.
Next Steps:
We will receive a formal letter from SACSCOC in January with additional details outlining their expectations. In response, we will submit a report by December 2025 demonstrating that we have met these standards, including but not limited to achieving a balanced budget.
Our Path Forward:
The good news is that we had already identified most of these areas as needing improvement during our internal 10-year reaffirmation review process and have been actively working to address them. The SACSCOC onsite visit simply reinforced the need to continue this important work.
Over the past three years, we have taken significant steps, including:
- Early retirement packages
- Workforce reductions
- Elimination of academic and non-academic programs
- Budget reductions across campus units
- Development of programs to enhance recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff
- Expansion of our new student recruitment efforts beyond Central Virginia
These measures have laid the groundwork for us to meet SACSCOC’s standards. However, we must diligently press on in two particular efforts: bringing our operating budget in line with our revenue and ensuring regular assessment of all our programs.
Call to Action:
To achieve these goals, we must further reduce spending for the current fiscal year (ending June 30, 2025) to reach a balanced budget. Taking action quickly is vital, as waiting until next year (2025-26) is not an option. It is an absolute necessity.
I’ll be candid—reaching budget neutrality will require all of us to work together to make wise fiscal decisions over the next six months. To take the first step toward bringing this institution into financial stability, my leadership team and I have collectively decided to take a salary cut.
Other institutional changes will be implemented over the coming months. Still, I am confident that we, as a Hornet community, can meet and rise above this challenge. I invite each of you to share your ideas and suggestions on how we can best achieve our goals.
While this situation may feel daunting, please know that we have already overcome many of the hurdles along our reaccreditation journey. I remain optimistic about our future, as should you.
The University of Lynchburg has a strong foundation, extraordinary employees, and incredible students. I’m confident we will emerge from this challenge stronger than ever by working together with courage and determination. Thank you for your understanding and for all you do.
SACSCOC Status FAQ
Who is SACSCOC, and what is accreditation?
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is a regional organization accrediting colleges and universities. Regional accreditation is an important indication that a college or university is operating acceptably based on evaluation criteria set by peer member institutions.
What prompted the SACSCOC review?
All accredited institutions of higher education go through a reaffirmation process every ten years. This is our regularly scheduled accreditation review.
Has the University of Lynchburg lost its accreditation?
No. The University continues to be accredited.
What does being placed on warning mean?
Failure to comply with or to make significant progress toward correcting deficiencies that lead to non-compliance with the Principles of Accreditation may result in an institution being placed on warning.
What led to Lynchburg being placed on warning?
SACSCOC noted the following Principles of Accreditation need some improvement:
- Standard 7.3 (Administrative effectiveness)
- Standard 8.2.a (Student outcomes: educational programs)
- Standard 8.2.c (Student outcomes: academic and student services)
- Core Requirement 13.2 (Financial documents)
- Standard 13.3 (Financial responsibility)
The issues leading to this decision occurred over numerous years of dealing with financial challenges, declining undergraduate enrollment, and aging infrastructure. Unfortunately, COVID-19 impacted enrollment for the academic year 2021-22, thus affecting overall revenue. Since that class, however, undergraduate enrollment has increased steadily each year.
How long will the University of Lynchburg be on warning?
The University has been placed on a 12-month warning and will submit a referral report describing progress toward compliance with SACSCOC in December 2025. A response from the University and a report from a SACSCOC Special Committee visit will be sent to the Commission for consideration at their June 2025 meeting.
Is Lynchburg on warning because of academics?
No. The quality of Lynchburg’s academic programs is not in question. The University still has the ability to award Federal Financial Aid and offer degrees.
Will students still be able to collect financial aid?
Yes. The University continues to be eligible to distribute federal financial aid.
Will this status impact the courses the University offers this spring?
No. The SACSCOC Warning status will have no impact on our course offerings.
How is the University of Lynchburg addressing its warning status?
Lynchburg is well on its way to resolving the outstanding issues. New enrollment initiatives, new academic programs, a focus on student life, enhanced infrastructure, the addition of new athletic programs, and certificate programs are already yielding positive results to stabilize and grow enrollment.
