La Plume, Pa. – Keystone College has received notification from its accreditor, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), that, effective February 27, MSCHE has “placed the institution into the status of non-compliance show cause” which is a change from the previous status of “accreditation withdrawn under appeal.” Additionally, since the College remains accredited while on show cause, this action eliminates the need for the pending appeal of the MSCHE adverse action. The appeal hearing was scheduled for March 31.
All of the conditions placed on Keystone during the appeal, including that the College could not market to, recruit, or enroll new students are no longer in effect. MSCHE has also withdrawn its previous directive that Keystone implement its teach-out plan.
A request for reconsideration to withdraw the MSCHE adverse action and the conditions set during the appeal was submitted by Keystone on February 4. That request included new financial information that was not available in writing prior to the adverse action plus the College’s commitment to submit the complex substantive change for ownership given the signed merger agreement that is still in place with the Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER). Keystone submitted the completed complex substantive change request to MSCHE on February 21.
In the February 27 action, MSCHE noted that the new financial information and the complex substantive change request were not available at the time of the November 21 Commission action. “The new financial information is significant and bears materially on the financial non-compliance identified by the Commission in the adverse action,” MSCHE noted.
“This recent action by Middle States is welcome news to not only the Keystone community, but we feel the higher education community at large,” stated Keystone President John F. Pullo, Sr. “The process of saving and rebuilding a college in today’s higher ed landscape is very challenging and requires innovative approaches, open communication, and partnerships. We are grateful for the care, diligence, and attention that Middle States continues to show Keystone and its students as we navigate to a new future for the College.”
The conditions of the non-compliance show cause status will require Keystone to remain in frequent communication with MSCHE and meet submission deadlines while maintaining regulatory compliance with the federal and state departments of education. During this time, the complex substantive change review process will continue.
“We are grateful for the careful attention that all of our partners have given to Keystone College,” said Tim Pryle, Vice President of Enrollment, Institutional Advancement, and Marketing. “We understand that there is still much work to be done. The recent news about the future state of higher education, not only in Pennsylvania but nationwide, only highlights the need for a shared commitment to affordable, accessible, and accredited options for all students interested in pursuing a college degree. Keystone remains committed to enhancing and building upon our 156-year legacy.”
