Federal aid accounted for more than 70 percent of Morris Brown's income. Outside of paid tuition, Morris Brown is relying on fund-raising to help keep the doors open.

Along with staff and salary reductions, Myler says fiscal controls have been implemented, administrators responsible for mismanagement are gone, record-keeping has improved after external audits, and another upcoming audit is due to be completed in October. The school also has a newly formed finance committee composed of board members and staff that meet weekly to review the college's fiscal status.

Myler added that the school can't fund 100 percent of tuition, something parents and students are being educated about. Students will have to pay some part of their education, she said, and they must rely on work-study, scholarships, nontraditional loans and donations to help defray some of that cost.

"It is a nervous climate," she says. "The days of frivolous activities and people are gone. We've got a lot of strength here. On the whole, Morris Brown has been taken down by severe activities but this is a good time for the college to rebuild and start over. Right now we can truly offer our students one-on-one individual attention."

Maria Paul, one of the nine freshmen who have signed up to attend classes this fall, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Morris Brown will survive.

"Education is what matters, not accreditation," Paul told the newspaper. "I'm going to be very happy here."

Paul, from West Palm Beach, Fla., said she — like many students — will complete a work-study program that will help cover her tuition costs. Classes started Sept. 2.