Barber-Scotia Decides Not To Appeal Lost Accreditation
CONCORD, N.C.
Students at Barber-Scotia College are considering whether to transfer, now that the school has lost its accreditation. A loss of accreditation means, among other things, that a school loses its ability to receive federal financial aid. About 90 percent of Barber-Scotia’s students depend on some sort of financial aid for tuition.
The college enrolled about 400 last year. A spokeswoman at Barber-Scotia said officials there have recommended that students who want to transfer apply to Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, Livingstone College in Salisbury, UNC Charlotte or the Raleigh-based Shaw University.
JCSU has received between 30 and 50 transfer applications from Barber-Scotia students, said university spokesman Benny Smith. UNCC admissions officials said they had received 11 applications and admitted six students from the college.
Dr. Gloria Bromell-Tinubu, Barber-Scotia’s new president, said at a news conference earlier this month that the school wants to help its students transfer, if that’s what they decide.
The college considered appealing the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ decision to remove its accreditation. That would have allowed students to continue to receive federal financial aid until the appeal was decided.
But SACS officials say appeals are rarely successful, and Bromell-Tinubu said the college would not appeal.
To keep the college afloat, Bromell-Tinubu said the school plans to raise $6 million for student scholarships before classes begin Aug. 25.
The decision to revoke the college’s accreditation was based largely on its failure to provide accurate information, SACS officials have said.
In May, Barber-Scotia revealed it had awarded degrees to nearly 30 students in the adult education program who hadn’t completed all of the requirements.
— Associated Press
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