South University

South University was founded in Savannah, Georgia, in 1899 as Draughan's Practical Business College.{{cite web |url=http://www.southuniversity.edu/about/history.aspx |title=A Century of Academic Excellence: The History of South University |work=southuniversity.edu |publisher=South University |access-date=18 July 2013}} The private school taught accounting, banking, typewriting, bookkeeping, and shorthand.

The South family acquired the institution in 1974 and changed its name to Draughan's Junior College.{{cite news |title=South University sold to education management company |url=http://w3.nexis.com/new/docview/getDocForCuiReq?lni=48GS-PK80-009F-S3RR&csi=304481&oc=00240&perma=true |agency=Associated Press |date=30 April 2003 |access-date=17 July 2013}}{{cite book |title=Insiders' Guide to Savannah and Hilton Head |author=Rich Wittish |author2=Betty Darby |year=2006 |publisher=Falcon Publishing |isbn=978-0762740482 |page=263 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xLUR-pJPjEEC&q=%22South+University%22+%22Draughons+Junior+College%22&pg=PA263 |access-date=18 July 2013}} In 1986, that name was changed to South College. In 2001, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited South College at the master's level and the school was renamed South University. This name change resulted in a 2002 legal dispute with Sewanee: The University of the South, which had registered the name "The University of the South" with the U.S. Patent Office.{{cite news |title=Second lawsuit filed in dispute between 'South' universities |url=http://www.accessnorthgeorgia.com/detail.php?n=188567&c=2 |work=accessnorthgeorgia.com |date=23 October 2002 |access-date=17 July 2013}} The issue was resolved in 2003, with both schools retaining their names.{{cite news |title=South University, University of the South name dispute settled |url=http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1298619&nav=0RaPG5N5 |agency=Associated Press |date=29 May 2003 |access-date=17 July 2013}}

In 2003, Education Management Corporation (EDMC) acquired South University. The following year, the university expanded from its main campus in Savannah, Georgia, to eleven other locations in the United States and began offering online courses. By 2013, 52 percent of South University students were enrolled entirely online.{{cite web |url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9NTIzMzc0fENoaWxkSUQ9MjA4ODAyfFR5cGU9MQ==&t=1 |title= EDMC October 2013 Student Enrollment |date=October 31, 2013 |format=PDF |publisher=Education Management Corporation |access-date=December 20, 2013}}

In 2015, EDMC, South University's former parent company, was found to have violated the False Claims Act on multiple occasions through its student recruitment practices and marketing strategies. As part of the settlement, the university was ordered by the federal court to forgive more than $100.8 million in student loan debt held by more than 80,000 former students.{{cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/local/state-sues-argosy-university-brown-mackie-college-art-institutes/mQj7HmoPuaFxhLG0AZKbiN/|title=State sues Argosy University, Brown Mackie College, Art Institutes|first=Andria|last=Simmons|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|access-date=26 May 2017}} U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton of the

Western District of Pennsylvania stated that "[c]ompanies cannot enrich their corporate coffers at the expense of students seeking a quality education, or on the backs of taxpayers who are funding our critical financial aid programs ... Today's global settlement sends an unmistakable message to all for-profit education companies: the United States will aggressively ferret out fraud and protect innocent students and taxpayer dollars from this kind of egregious abuse."{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/profit-college-company-pay-955-million-settle-claims-illegal-recruiting-consumer-fraud-and|title=For-Profit College Company to Pay $95.5 Million to Settle Claims of Illegal Recruiting, Consumer Fraud and Other Violations|website=www.justice.gov|access-date=26 May 2017|date=2015-11-16}}

In December 2016, South University was placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) due to financial concerns regarding its parent company at the time, EDMC.{{cite web|url=http://savannahnow.com/news/2017-04-30/south-university-probation-faces-sale|title=South University on probation, faces sale|first=Jenel|last=Few|website=savannahnow.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/12/07/southern-accreditor-places-10-probation-including-louisville-and-new-ut-campus |title=Southern accreditor places 10 on probation, including Louisville and new UT campus|access-date=26 May 2017}} South University was removed from probation in December 2017 after the sale to Dream Center Education Holdings and SACS approved the university's conversion to not-for-profit status (although the U.S. Department of Education classifies the institution as for-profit.{{cite web |url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=101116 |title=College Navigator |publisher=U.S. Department of Education |date=2019 |access-date=October 31, 2019}}).{{cite web|url=http://savannahnow.com/news/2018-02-08/south-university-probation-sale-approved|title=South University is off probation; sale approved|publisher=Savannah Morning News|website=savannahnow.com}}

File:South University Savannah.jpg

South University's Savannah campus (which includes its online students) celebrated its largest graduating class in the institution's history in June 2017, when more than 3,500 students received degrees.{{cite web|url=http://www.wtoc.com/story/35688373/south-university-celebrates-largest-graduating-class|title=South University Celebrates Largest Graduating Class|date=June 18, 2017 }} On October 17, 2017, the university's former parent company, Education Management Corporation, reported that it had sold its schools to the Los Angeles-based Dream Center Foundation, a non-profit organization.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/03/03/art-institute-campuses-to-be-sold-to-foundation/|title=Art Institute campuses to be sold to foundation|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=26 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/03/large-profit-chain-edmc-be-bought-dream-center-missionary-group|title=Large for-profit chain EDMC to be bought by the Dream Center, a missionary group|access-date=26 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2017/10/17/dmc-completes-sale-of-assets-to-dream-center.html|title=EDMC Completes Sale of Assets to Dream Center Foundation}}{{cite web |last1=Seltzer |first1=Rick |title=How Much Will Your College Receive in Coronavirus Stimulus Funding, Part 2? |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/01/18/search-find-how-much-funding-your-college-or-university-will-receive-new-round-covid |website=Inside Higher Education |access-date=3 February 2021}}

In 2019, South University fired a large majority of their workforce including the online support staff located in Chandler, Arizona, closing the site. South University was expected to be transferred to Education Principle Foundation.{{Cite web|date=2019-01-16|title=Facing insolvency, Dream Center is unloading Art Institutes {{!}} Education Dive|url=https://www.educationdive.com/news/facing-insolvency-dream-center-is-unloading-art-institutes/546114/|access-date=2020-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116215946/https://www.educationdive.com/news/facing-insolvency-dream-center-is-unloading-art-institutes/546114/|archive-date=2019-01-16}}{{cite web |last1=Halperin |first1=David |title=DeVos-Backed Deal Would Allow Secretive Non-Profit to Enrich Related For-Profit |url=https://www.republicreport.org/2019/devos-backed-deal-would-allow-secretive-non-profit-to-enrich-related-for-profit/ |website=www.republicreport.org |date=23 January 2019 |publisher=Republic Report |access-date=5 December 2021}} In the meantime, all South campuses were operated independently.{{cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/business/career-workplace/2019/01/14/Dream-Center-Education-Holdings-bankruptcy-reorganize-Art-Institutes-campuses-EDMC-accreditation/stories/201901140087 |title=Dream Center plans pullout from most Art Institute campuses | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |publisher=Post-gazette.com |access-date=2020-02-28}} The court-appointed receiver Studio Enterprise, giving the university until April 11, 2019, to negotiate to separate South and remaining Art Institute schools from the Dream Center Education IT Platform by September 11, 2019. Writing for the Republic Report, David Halperin opined that "should they fail to agree, the plan of reorganization will likely fail, thereby dooming South University and the Art Institutes."{{Cite web|url=https://www.republicreport.org/2019/devos-fiddles-schools-burn/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190316180202/https://www.republicreport.org/2019/devos-fiddles-schools-burn/|archive-date=2019-03-16|title=DeVos Fiddles, Schools Burn | Republic Report|date=26 February 2019}} The court-appointed receiver has also reported that "there is a 'scattered matching of revenues and expenses' among all the former EDMC schools, making it difficult to determine the true financial picture at the schools in receivership and those controlled by Education Principle Foundation."{{cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/business/career-workplace/2019/02/13/Financial-aid-Art-Institute-Dream-Center-Education-Holdings-EDMC-Mark-Dottore/stories/201902130104 |title=$13 million in financial aid missing? Federal receiver tries to track down money from Art Institute owners | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |publisher=Post-gazette.com |access-date=2020-02-28}}

In 2020, South University received $7,726,170 in federal funding under the CARES Act.{{cite web |title=U.S. Department of Education |url=https://www.southuniversity.edu/~/media/files/CARES-US-Department-of-Education.pdf |website=www.southuniversity.edu |access-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601204636/https://www.southuniversity.edu/~/media/files/cares-us-department-of-education.pdf |archive-date=June 1, 2020 |page=2 |language=en |url-status=live}} South was allocated an additional $5.1 million under HEERF II.{{cite web |title=SOUTH UNIVERSITY MEMBER LLC FKA DREAM CENTER SOUTH UNIVERSITY LLC |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_audit/24951020201 |website=/projects.propublica.org |date=9 May 2013 |publisher=ProPublica |access-date=3 December 2021}} On December 4, 2020, South University closed on a loan from Blue Ridge Bank under the Federal Reserve's Main Street Lending Program, assuming $50 million in debt, with a $35 million balloon payment in 2025.

In 2021 a class action lawsuit was filed against Education Principle Foundation and South University for making illegal robocalls.{{cite web |title=Lacon v. Education Principle Foundation et al. |url=https://www.classaction.org/news/class-action-lawsuit-filed-over-alleged-south-university-robocalls |website=classaction.org |date=September 8, 2021 |access-date=14 December 2022}}

In 2022, South University was one of 153 institutions included in student loan cancellation due to alleged fraud. The class action was brought by a group of more than 200,000 student borrowers, assisted by the Project on Predatory Student Lending, part of the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School. A settlement was approved in August 2022, stating that the schools on the list were included "substantial misconduct by the listed schools, whether credibly alleged or in some instances proven."{{cite web|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/62d6e418e8d8517940207135/t/62e2e45a915c367b4086d7b0/1659036762506/288+Govt+Consol+Opposition+to+Motions+to+Intervene+w+Decl+of+Ben+Miller.pdf|title=Government's Consolidated Opposition to Motions to Intervene|access-date=2023-04-15}}{{cite news |last1= Turner|first1= Cory|last2= Carrillo|first2= Sequoia|last3= Salhotra|first3= Pooja|date= 2022-08-05|title= 200k student borrowers are closer to getting their loans erased after judge's ruling|url= https://www.npr.org/2022/07/21/1112554478/student-loan-forgiveness-borrower-defense|publisher= National Public Radio|access-date= 2023-04-15}} In April 2023, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the settlement and allowed to proceed the debt cancellation due to alleged fraud.{{cite news |last= Hurley|first= Lawrence|date= 2023-04-13|title= Supreme Court allows $6 billion student loan debt settlement|url= https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/13/supreme-court-allows-6-billion-student-loan-debt-settlement.html|publisher= NBC News|access-date= 2023-04-15}}

In July 2023, South University returned to being a private institution, twenty years after it was acquired by EDMC. The South University Board of Trustees and Education Principle Foundation Board unanimously voted to separate South University from the Education Principle Foundation, creating an independent institution managed by its Board of Trustees.{{cite web |title=South University Returns to Being an Independent University |url=https://www.southuniversity.edu/news-and-blogs/2023/07/south-university-goes-independent |website=www.southuniversity.edu |format=Press Release |date=14 July 2023}}{{cite web |last=Phelps |first=Lou |title=South University announces it will return to being an independent, private institution |url=https://www.savannahbusinessjournal.com/news/education_career/aug-14---south-university-announces-it-will-return-to-being-an-independent-private/article_9981cab0-3aad-11ee-8fed-674abebdb1f8.html |date=14 August 2023}}{{Better source needed|reason=Lacks higher-tier sourcing, although reported by the business|date=September 2023}}

In June 2024, South University was publicly placed on warning by its accrediting organization for failing to meet governance criteria.{{Cite web| title=Disclosure Statement Regarding the Status of South University - Savannah, Georgia | url=https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2024/06/Disclosure-Statement-South-U-J2024.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711154739/https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2024/06/Disclosure-Statement-South-U-J2024.pdf | archive-date=2024-07-11}}

• South University Austin, Round Rock, Texas (300 students)
• South University Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
• South University Columbia, Columbia, South Carolina (510 students)
• South University High Point, High Point, North Carolina
• South University Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama (361 students)
• South University Orlando, Orlando, Florida
• South University Online, Savannah, Georgia (7,707 students)
• South University Richmond, Glen Allen, Virginia (442 students)
• South University Savannah, Savannah Georgia (787 students)
• South University Tampa, Tampa, Florida (712 students)
• South University Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, Virginia (240 students)
• South University West Palm Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Florida (528 students)

South University relies on an unbundling of academic labor. The online campus has 41 full-time instructors and 539 part-time instructors for 7,707 students. South's largest physical campus, in Tampa, Florida, has 16 full-time instructors and 65 part-time instructors for 712 students.{{cite web |title=South University-Savannah |url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=south+university&s=GA&id=475121#general |website=nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator |publisher=US Department of Education |access-date=5 February 2021}}

South University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award doctoral, master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees. The institution is classified by SACSCOC as a Level VI institution, meaning it offers four or more doctoral degree programs. The university also offers post-graduate certificate programs through its College of Nursing and Public Health.

South University became the first university in the Savannah area to offer a health professions doctorate when it launched its Doctor of Pharmacy program in 2002. South University's accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.) program is one of only a limited number nationwide that provides four academic years of study within three calendar years.{{cite web|url= http://www.pharmdprograms.org/accelerated-pharmacy-schools/|title= Accelerated Pharmacy Schools | Your first stop in learning about the PharmD|date= 4 February 2012}} The degree program is offered at both the Savannah, Georgia and Columbia, South Carolina campuses.

The Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPTE).{{cite news |title=Savannah's First Fully Accredited Pharmacy School |author=Melanie A. Ruberti |url=http://www.wtoc.com/Global/story.asp?S=5355742&nav=0qq6 |work=WTOC-TV |date=1 September 2006 |access-date=17 July 2013}}

South University and Emory University are the only two institutions in the state of Georgia that offer a Master of Medical Science in Anesthesia Science program. South University's program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Committee for the Anesthesiologist Assistants (ARC-AA). An Anesthesiologist assistant is qualified by virtue of their education and training at the master's degree level to deliver anesthesia as a member of an anesthesia care team led by a physician anesthesiologist.

The university launched its Master of Science in Physician Assistant program in 2002, and it is one of only five programs in the state of Georgia.{{cite web|url=http://www.georgiatrend.com/October-2017/Supply-and-Demand/ |title=Supply and Demand |publisher=Georgia Trend |date=October 2017}} A Physician Assistant is prepared to work in a medical setting with the ability to evaluate, monitor, diagnose, counsel, refer patients and prescribe medication.

The Master of Science in Physician Assistant program is offered at South University's Savannah, Tampa, West Palm Beach, and Richmond campuses and is accredited by The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).{{cite web|url=http://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation/accredited-programs/|title=Accredited Programs - ARC-PA|website=arc-pa.org}}

South University's College of Nursing and Public Health prepares students to practice at all levels of the nursing profession by providing programs at the bachelor's, master's, doctorate and post-graduate certificate level. Programs include an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice. The university also offers Master of Science with a Specialization in Family Nurse Practitioner.

The institution's College of Nursing and Public Health programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).{{cite news |title=South University celebrates nursing degrees conferred |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2008/06/23/daily49.html |work=Tampa Bay Business Journal |date=27 June 2008 |access-date=17 July 2013}}

The College of Business offers undergraduate degrees in areas that include business administration, healthcare administration and information technology. Graduate programs include a Master of Business Administration and Accelerated Master of Business Administration (AMBA) in Healthcare Administration.

The Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management, Master of Business Administration, Accelerated Master of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration and Accelerated Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration programs at South University, Savannah are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).{{cite web|url=https://www.acbsp.org/page/membership_list|title=Educational Members - Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs|website=www.acbsp.org}}

South University's College of Theology was established in 2013, and graduated its first Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) student in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://savannahnow.com/your-good-news-education-news-news/2016-06-17/your-good-news-student-makes-south-university-history |title=Your Good News: Student makes South University history with graduation |publisher=SavannahNow|date=17 June 2016}}

The South University College of Theology differs from traditional seminaries, because rather than focusing on the doctrine of one faith, it prepares its students (who come from different denominations and religious backgrounds) to minister in the Christian tradition to people of various faiths and, potentially, in various times of spiritual crisis.{{cite web|url=https://www.marketplace.org/2014/08/21/education/learning-curve/teaching-theology-profit/|title=Teaching theology... for profit?|website=marketplace.org|date=21 August 2014}}

The College of Arts & Sciences houses South University's undergraduate programs in Criminal Justice, Legal Studies and Paralegal Studies.

South University's undergraduate online campus (3,481 students) is 46 percent black, 37 percent white, and 10 percent Hispanic. Eighty-five percent are eligible for low-income Pell Grants and 79 percent receive federal loans.{{cite web |title=South University-Savannah Online |url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?475121-South-University-Savannah-Online |website=collegescorecard.ed.gov |publisher=US Department of Education |access-date=3 December 2021}}

South University students are eligible for membership in a number of national and international honor societies. These include the Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business,{{cite web|url= http://savannahnow.com/your-good-news/2014-08-13/delta-mu-delta-international-honor-society-installs-chapter-south/|title= Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society installs chapter at South University|access-date= 2017-10-27|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171027142617/http://savannahnow.com/your-good-news/2014-08-13/delta-mu-delta-international-honor-society-installs-chapter-south|archive-date= 2017-10-27|url-status= dead}} Sigma Theta Tau,{{cite web |title=Chapter Directory |url=http://chapterdirectory.nursingsociety.org/ |website=Sigma Theta Tau |access-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519062738/https://chapterdirectory.sigmanursing.org/#/ |archive-date=May 19, 2023 |language=en |url-status=live}} which recognizes outstanding academic achievement by nursing students, and Pi Gamma Mu,{{cite web|url=https://pigammamu.org/chapters.asp/|title=Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society - Chapters|access-date=2017-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028004834/http://pigammamu.org/chapters.asp|archive-date=2017-10-28|url-status=dead}} which is the International Honor Society in Social Sciences. South University Doctor of Pharmacy students are eligible for membership in Rho Chi, the academic honor society in Pharmacy.{{cite web|url= http://rhochi.org/directories/chapters/|title= Chapters}} South University's College of Theology was granted a chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa, the National Honor Society for Religious Studies and Theology in 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetaalphakappa.net/Newsletter_2017-10.pdf|title=THETAALPHAKAPPA.NET|website=www.thetaalphakappa.net}}

• Tapai Alailepule Benjamin Vaivao, American Samoan politician{{Cite web |title=Tapai Alailepule Benjamin Vaivao |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Tapai_Alailepule_Benjamin_Vaivao |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}

In 2022, South University had $156 million in assets and $155 million in liabilities. The schools spent $86.6 million on employee compensation ($43.6 million for instruction) and $41.8 million in advertising. South paid Studio Enterprise $47.3M in 2022.

According to the US Department of Education's College Scorecard, South University is on Heightened Cash Monitoring 2 "requiring additional oversight because of financial or federal compliance issues."{{cite web |title=South University-Savannah Online |url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?475121-South-University-Savannah-Online |website=collegescorecard.ed.gov |publisher=US Department of Education |access-date=14 December 2022}}

According to the College Scorecard, the Savannah online campus has an undergraduate graduation rate of 8 percent. Forty percent of South University's students earn more than a high school graduate after attending. Nine percent of South University's student debtors are making progress with their federal student loans two years after completion.{{Cite web|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/search/?name=South%20University-Savannah&sort=salary:desc|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190403133624/https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/search/?name=South%20University-Savannah&sort=salary:desc|archive-date = 2019-04-03|title = Search | College Scorecard}}

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Category:Universities and colleges established in 1899

Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Category:Private universities and colleges in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Universities and colleges in Oakland County, Michigan

Category:Universities and colleges in Savannah, Georgia

Category:1899 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)