A university affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention, Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU), has been removed from academic probation by an independent higher education accrediting agency.
The announcement, made last week, confirmed that the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has lifted a sanction concerning HLGU's financial health.
With over 450 undergraduate students and a 165-acre campus, HLGU received a letter earlier this month from HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley, stating that the university “is no longer out of compliance with the Criteria for Accreditation and removed the Institution from Probation and assigned interim monitoring.”
The commission officially updated the university's status, effective October 31, changing it from “Accredited – Probation” to “Accredited.”
Founded in 1858, HLGU had taken steps to address previous concerns related to its financial health and accountability, including staffing changes and adjustments to governing board duties, as noted in the letter. However, the commission expressed ongoing concerns about financial health, indicating that “the ongoing impact of the Institution's historical financial challenges will continue.”
“The Institution has implemented strategies to improve its financial position, including through reducing its debt to the endowment,” Gellman-Danley wrote. “These strategies will have an important impact on addressing the debt but also means that the endowment will have limited growth for several years.”
She added, “The Institution has made progress with respect to systematic and integrated planning and improvement, but there remains much work ahead for it to be sustainable financially.”
HLGU was placed on two-year probation by HLC in November 2022, stemming from concerns over financial issues and poor governance. This decision followed an acknowledgment by Rodney Harrison, the university's interim president at the time, that HLGU was facing serious financial struggles in March 2022.
Regarding the Learning Commission’s decision, HLGU President Robert Matz stated that the outcome was “a testament to the hard work and dedication of our administration, faculty, and staff.”
Matz stated, “Our entire campus community has been deeply committed to putting HLGU on a stable financial foundation that supports our mission of academic excellence and faith-centered learning,” expressing gratitude to all who contributed to the turnaround and adding, “We look forward to a future of growth and opportunity.”
