FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information: Melissa McNabb Fisk University 1000 Seventeenth Avenue North Nashville, Tennessee 37208 Office: 615-329-8555 MJaeger@Fisk.edu www.fisk.edu

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Maintains Fisk Universitys Accreditation with Probation Status
Nashville, Tenn. December 11, 2012 Fisk University announced that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) reaffirmed its accreditation for good cause and continued the institution on probation for another year. The Commission removed the finding regarding qualified administrative and academic officers. Fisk continues to be eligible for federal, state and foundation contracts and grants and its students are eligible for financial aid and other forms of student support. The excellence of Fisks academic programs and institutional integrity were not questioned by SACSCOC. Our commitment to the Universitys Strategic Goals, which are measured by outcomes in teaching, research and service, remains steadfast. Fisk will address the remaining SACSCOCs recommendations related to financial stability, adequate financial controls, a balanced budget and compliance with federal regulations through outcomes from our fiscal year 2013 audit. Evidence to support the Universitys position that the five remaining recommendations have been addressed includes the timely completion of the fiscal year 2013 audit and evidence which demonstrates that adequate financial controls are in place, that revenues adequate to offset expenses have been raised during fiscal year 2013 (that ends June 30, 2013) and the University has complied with all federal regulations. We are fully aware of the significant investment that families make to enable students to obtain a Fisk degree. Therefore, during the remainder of the fiscal year as we continue to address SACSCOC recommendations, the University pledges to continue providing the best education at the lowest possible cost. To ensure transparency, Fisk will publish monthly updates of fundraising progress and the status of the audit on our website (www.fisk.edu) and quarterly in the FISK Focus electronic magazine.

For more information, please contact Melissa McNabb at mjaeger@fisk.edu or by phone at (615) 329-8555. ###

About Fisk University

Founded in 1866, Fisk University is Nashvilles first institution of higher education and currently ranks in the top 10% of all liberal arts institutions in the nation and #1 Liberal Arts HBCU in Research according to Washington Monthly which also ranks Fisk in the top 6% of the 254 leading liberal arts institutions based on social mobility, research and service. Fisk ranked in the top 20 percent of 650 higher education institutions and is the highest ranked HBCU on Forbes 2012 Top Colleges List. The Princeton Reviews Best Southeastern Colleges publication has included Fisk in its rankings for twenty consecutive years. U.S. News and World Report lists Fisk at #145 in the elite Tier One group of 1,400 liberal arts institutions and #5 on the list of The Best Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Fisk has earned three R & D 100 Awards for work in the creation of radiation detectors developed in collaboration with several national laboratories and corporations. No other HBCU has earned a R & D 100 Award. According to the National Science Foundation, Fisk produces more African-Americans who go on to earn doctoral degrees in the natural sciences than any school in the nation. For more information on Fisk University, please visit www.fisk.edu.