Usually I don’t have anything serious to write about but as the old saying goes, ” with time all things must change.” The subject of my conversation this week is Grambling State University.
Now I know you are thinking, Grambling? What could he possibly say about Grambling, it’s not time for the Bayou Classic yet (And why would he provoke Grambling with the horrible way our football team is playing). I don’t want to talk about football right now.
As well as many of you may or may not know GSU has been on accreditation probation since December with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
For those of you who don’t understand, accreditation probation means that they are one step away from losing its accreditation. Grambling was given a deadline of Wednesday September 25 to submit audited financial statements for 2001 and 2002 to SACS. Now the school will have to wait until the SACS meeting in San Antonio this December to see if its accreditation probation will be lifted.
When I first heard of the news that GSU could be losing their accreditation I must admit I laughed and made jokes about them just like most students here at Southern. But the more and more I think about it the more I begin to see that Southern as well as every other HBCU needs Grambling to keep its accreditation. The reason being is that no matter how we may hate each other. We are all family. That family is the Historically Black College and University family.
For one second lets just forget about the classic SU-GSU rivalry. Forget the fact that GSU hasn’t produced financial statements that has been deemed auditable by Dan Kyle, the state legislative auditor, SACS and Sally Clausen, president of University of Louisiana Systems.
If Grambling loses its accreditation they could loss financial aid and grants for students and professors. Losing accreditation could also mean those students who receive degrees and/or certification from GSU put in all those long hours of studying and working for nothing.
As reported in the Monroe News Star Grambling’s current enrollment is 4,462. That means that about 4,462 young African-American students will get a degree that is basically worthless. This is not what we in the black community need. Grambling is a quality HBCU and its students deserve every opportunity for a quality education especially from a black institution.
If Grambling does lose it’s accreditation it won’t be the only school hurt by the decision. Every school from Southern to Jackson State to Arkansas- Pine Bluff to Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Prairie View, Texas Southern, Mississippi Valley and all the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) schools and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) schools will all receive a loss in the HBCU community.
So on behave of the entire Jaguar Nation good luck Grambling, get your accreditation and keep it. See you at the Bayou Classic.
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Good Luck Grambling State: The HBCU Community needs you around
October 7, 2002
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