Virginia’s Saint Paul’s College, a private, Episcopal, liberal arts, historically black college, is no longer accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Inside Higher Ed reported today.
Accreditation is the means through which a school is recognized to educate students. It is essentially a stamp of approval given to a school by a commission or organization that is recognized by the federal government to accredit institutions of higher education.
For students, this means they can no longer participate in federal student loan programs—an unfortunate consequence considering the school’s primarily low-income and aid-dependent student population. Federal aid can only be used at an accredited college or university.
Saint Paul’s is the only college in Virginia to offer a single-parent support system program, which provides three-year residential degrees for students and childhood education for single parents and their families. The college was founded in 1888.
According to a college announcement, the school plans to appeal the decision. The college has not yet been given a detailed explanation of its denied reaffirmation, but will receive details in a formal letter to be sent in July. The school’s statement said Saint Paul’s raised nearly $5 million in six months and completed a “managerial and strategic turn-around.”
“If we can do this in half a year, imagine what we could do if allowed to continue reaffirmed,” said Eddie N. Moore, Jr., the college’s president and chief executive officer, in the announcement.
Students who had planned to attend the school in the fall will be aided by a transition committee, and will be contacted by July 5.
Follow Anna Schumann on Twitter @ASchumannCMN.
Facebook Comments