Troubled Barber-Scotia loses its accreditation
Change could devastate the already financially strapped institution
RONNIE GLASSBERG
Staff WriterCONCORD - Three days after announcing its new president, Barber-Scotia College received word Thursday that it had lost its accreditation, placing the future of the 138-year-old school in question.
The news is a blow to the historically black college, which was already struggling financially: Ninety percent of its students receive federal financial tuition aid or grants, and without accreditation, they will no longer be eligible for that assistance.
Student tuition accounts for 60 percent of the college's $14 million annual budget, college officials said. Anticipating a reduced enrollment, college officials said they plan to cut a yet-undetermined amount of staff. While the college can continue to operate, its degrees won't be accredited.
"This is devastating for the college," said former Charlotte City Council member Ella Scarborough, who chairs the college board of trustees. "On the other hand, we feel we need to roll our sleeves up and start anew."
The loss of accreditation resulted from failure to provide accurate information to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the regional accrediting agency, said incoming president Gloria Bromell-Tinubu, who takes office July 1. She cited the college's awarding of degrees to nearly 30 students who SACS determined hadn't met proper requirements.
Bromell-Tinubu insisted that the college would continue to operate. She said the college plans to raise money to help support students who would lose aid, but she didn't yet have specifics.
"We are committed to correcting and righting conditions that brought this decision from SACS," Bromell-Tinubu said Thursday. "We will move aggressively to pursue reaccredidation through SACS." It's not clear how long that would take. Bromell-Tinubu comes to Barber-Scotia from Spelman College in Atlanta, where she was an associate professor of economics. "This is baptism by fire," she said.
Last fall, 742 students were enrolled at Cabarrus County's only four-year college. The college employs 26 full-time and six part-time faculty members and 48 staff members.
Barber-Scotia was founded by the Presbyterian Church in 1867 as a seminary for daughters of former slaves. Now, it's a four-year coed college, but it has suffered major setbacks. SACS put the school on 12-month warning status in December, citing problems with financial resources and institutional effectiveness. In February, President Sammie Potts resigned.
Last week, the college said it had delayed part of employees' pay, and the state is investigating a wage-related complaint from an employee. The college owes the city $75,943.05 for past utility bills. The city has agreed to extend those bills July 6, but after that, the college's campus could go dark.
"Up until now the issue has been financing," Concord Mayor Scott Padgett said Thursday. "Now we're talking about credibility." Earlier this year, the Cabarrus County commissioners raised the possibility Barber-Scotia might fail and mentioned it as a future public school campus.
"I actually hope it doesn't get to that point," said Cabarrus County commissioners' Chairman Robert Freeman, a Barber-Scotia trustee and 1976 graduate. "There would be a lot of sad faces here."
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Being that I went there before I can speak on it...But, it's sad that they are sending all upcoming seniors and juniors that actually has junior status to Livingstone College ( even those seniors who were suppose to graduate this past May). My godfather already left to go coach at Livingstone sooooo now I guess ya'll basketball team can really be considered as the truth!!!
I mean the school was bound to go anyway, I mean the President and Dean of Academics got fired for stealing money so it was only a matter of time before SACS paid them a visit. I'll still come 2 homecoming (if they have one) and visit because they whole school was kinda close and like a family.
so what does that mean? they are closing the school? this makes no sense if they had somebody to go there and recruit people who actually want to learn and not knuckleheads who have no where else to go maybe this wouldn't have happened. i don't know though i can only speak on what i've heard. my uncle went there back in the day. i just hope that they can come out of this soon.
News Flash:
Barber-Scotia has until Monday to come up with the money or they will completely lose their accrediation!
Kan somebody say.......BLOCK PARTIEEE!!!!!!
You can't be serious :o
But this is really sad cuz unless they do some serious fund raising a lot of students won't have the money 2 go there since they can't get federal aid anymore Can u imagine being about 2 graduate and then here comes "the man" telling u your work doesn't count, you have 2 go to another school, and by the way we're taking ur aid! I'd be devastated!!
:?: And even though they're keeping the school open, is there even any point 2 go there if your degree wouldn't be accredited?
^^^i feel you. that would be devastating like i said we need to give back to our communities and they need to do something. that block party is a good idea.
Everyone who has received a degree there within the past few years (mainly the adult program) has to go retake some courses and like someone stated NOBODY will honor your degree from BSC, that's the reason they're sending the seniors and juniors to another college :arrow:
A few people I know are still going back but I just don't understand it...Tom Joyner has been handing out full scholarships to alot of students who want to return as well as many others. But, the school owes the city over 75,000 in past due electricty bills( which the city has given them a week to pay up) I don't know too many people who would want to go to class in the dark :?
****@ how ya'll got me callin' the school up asking all these questions...Ok, here it goes.
They have a new president and "she" has plans to appeal its loss of accreditation, the appeals committee will hear the Barber-Scotia case in late August. The decision won't be released until Sept. 3 and to top things off students go back August 1st to start the fall semester.
Being that I went there before I can speak on it...But, it's sad that they are sending all upcoming seniors and juniors that actually has junior status to Livingstone College ( even those seniors who were suppose to graduate this past May). My godfather already left to go coach at Livingstone sooooo now I guess ya'll basketball team can really be considered as the truth!!!
I mean the school was bound to go anyway, I mean the President and Dean of Academics got fired for stealing money so it was only a matter of time before SACS paid them a visit. I'll still come 2 homecoming (if they have one) and visit because they whole school was kinda close and like a family.
So, it's true?! Where are those former BSC students gonna stay? Ain't no room at LC. :lol: I guess they'll stay at the Holiday Inn. Man campus gonna be packed. ::shakes head::
I mean the school was bound to go anyway, I mean the President and Dean of Academics got fired for stealing money so it was only a matter of time before SACS paid them a visit. I'll still come 2 homecoming (if they have one) and visit because they whole school was kinda close and like a family.
Can u imagine being about 2 graduate and then here comes "the man" telling u your work doesn't count, you have 2 go to another school, and by the way we're taking ur aid! I'd be devastated!!
:?: And even though they're keeping the school open, is there even any point 2 go there if your degree wouldn't be accredited?
Where are those former BSC students gonna stay? Ain't no room at LC. :lol: I guess they'll stay at the Holiday Inn. Man campus gonna be packed. ::shakes head::
