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CORRECTION-UMNS# 05127-United Methodist college denied appeal by


From "NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>
Date Thu, 3 Mar 2005 15:54:01 -0600

EDITORS: This version corrects percentage figures in the 16th paragraph.
Please discard earlier version.

United Methodist college denied appeal by accrediting body

Mar. 1, 2005 News media contact: Linda Green * (615) 7425470*
Nashville {05127}

NOTE: A photograph is available at http://umns.umc.org.

By Linda Green*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-A regional accrediting body has rejected the
appeal of a two-year United Methodist-related college to keep its
accreditation.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools denied an appeal of
Hiwassee College, Madisonville, Tenn., to avoid its removal of
membership based on financial concerns.

According to an announcement at www.sacs.org, the Commission on Colleges
of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools learned on Feb. 25
of the appeals committee's decision. The association had stripped
Hiwassee of its accreditation in December, but that action had been
suspended pending the outcome of the appeals process.

Hiwassee College President James Noseworthy said the college will
continue to "pursue all avenues to sustain its vital mission" and is
"extremely disappointed in the appeals decision." The college, he said,
"has faithfully served its mission for over 155 years. We are fiscally
stronger today than we were in 2000 when this cycle of review began."

The liberal arts institution is associated with the Holston Annual
(regional) Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools is the accrediting body for institutions of higher education
that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees in
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
According to Noseworthy, the SACS action is in response to fiscal
concerns first raised by the association in 2000, when the college was
placed on warning status. Since then, college administrators have worked
closely with SACS officials to address these concerns, meeting financial
goals and developing long-term fiscal strategies.
In its appeal, the college argued the commission's December 2004
decision was both unreasonable and violated procedure. The college
contended its financial resources are sound and capable of sustaining
its mission.
A SACS-appointed committee considered the appeal in Atlanta without
outside reviewers. Removal of the college's accreditation was effective
Feb. 25, according to a SACS announcement.

"An institution can reapply for membership at anytime," the announcement
said. "However, an application should be submitted only if and when an
institution has corrected the deficiencies which caused its loss of
membership."

Officials with the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and
Ministry expressed disappointment with the outcome of the appeal. "The
division supports President Noseworthy and assists in his effort to
sustain the United Methodist Church's mission in two-year college
education, which plays a very critical role in preparing academically
and financially disadvantaged students for advancement," said Ken
Yamada, a staff member with the board.

According to Noseworthy, SACS believes the school does not have adequate
financial resources to support the college's programs into the future,
"and we believe that we do."

He said the college has enhanced the quality of its academic program
during the past 21 months and within the past year has increased its
end-of-year unrestricted net assets by $262,415.82. A five-year Title
III Grant provides the college with $1.8 million in operating funds to
improve teaching though the use of technology on campus and integrating
technology into classrooms.

"The quality of academics is not the issue," Noseworthy said. "As a
mission-driven college, Hiwassee has always lived 'on the edge'
financially, but the picture painted by SACS is not indicative of our
fiscal progress."

He said Hiwassee completed the fiscal year with a balanced, in-the
black, current operating budget and has ended the fiscal year in the
black for seven of the past eight fiscal years. The college increased
its endowment by $1.2 million and exceeded its goal in a community
campaign by 25 percent. It increased alumni giving to 46 percent from
the previous year, bringing overall alumni participation to 9.8 percent
- the highest in more than a decade.

Ò"We have always been on the edge financially. We have never been a
rich school. We work primarily with lower-income students and financial
aid," he said, adding that 80 percent of its students receive some type
of financial aid and 40 percent receive total financial aid. "We've been
(doing) this all of our lives."

Noseworthy said the college is pursuing partnerships with other
institutions of higher education and other accrediting options, in
addition to legal and political options.

"We are not giving in," he said. "The board of trustees is 100 percent
committed to preserving the college and its mission. We have several
options available to us and are leaving no stone unturned."

In the meantime, the spring semester is continuing at Hiwassee College,
with graduation scheduled for May 7.

"We covet the support of the community, alumni, friends and the United
Methodist Church as we aggressively pursue our options," Noseworthy
said. "We continue to solicit funds and recruit students."

# # #

*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in
Nashville, Tenn. Portions of the article were adapted from a Feb. 28.
release from Hiwassee College.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org


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