wfn.org | New President Plans Significant Changes

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

20-August-1997 
97325 
 
    New President Plans Significant 
     Changes at Knoxville College 
 
    by Julian Shipp 
 
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--As the new president of Knoxville College, Barbara R. 
Hatton faces the challenge of leading the financially troubled college into 
the next century -- and she plans significant changes at the historically 
black and Presbyterian-affiliated institution. 
 
    After years of economic instability at the college, the Southern 
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) withdrew the school's 
accreditation in March. This has resulted in severe repercussions, 
including crippling the college's ability to seek funds for financial aid. 
The college's board of trustees has decided to undergo the lengthy process 
of applying for SACS accreditation this fall, but only 200 students are 
expected when classes begin Sept. 5 -- mostly freshmen and sophomores. 
 
    Crucial issues facing the college, some of which were cited by SACS in 
their decision, include 
 
    *  a debt of $3 million explained as "Knoxville in debt to itself." 
       There are not a lot of creditors the college owes, but it has 
       difficulty funding its operations. 
    *  planning and evaluation deficiencies -- cited by SACS as being 
       related to scholastic achievement, the college library, student 
       publications and several administrative processes. 
    *  financial aid problems. The financial aid office has undergone 
       extreme difficulty, with the previous director being terminated 
       after SACS cited the college for misappropriation of student loan 
       funds with USA Funds (an educational loan guarantor). The college is 
       also owed several hundred thousand dollars in outstanding student 
       loans. 
 
    "The college is experiencing some temporary problems, but we have not 
survived for 122 years without making a major contribution to society," 
Hatton told the Presbyterian News Service. "We have weathered other storms 
in the past and we are confident we'll turn things around at Knoxville 
College and put it on sound academic and financial footing. 
 
    "Knoxville College has a rich tradition," said Hatton, whose sister 
graduated from the institution. "We have many challenges ahead, but with a 
reorganized board of trustees, a new president and our plans to reach out 
to our alumni, our friends, supportive corporations and foundations, we can 
build a new and even better Knoxville College." 
 
    A nationally known educator and former deputy director of the Ford 
Foundation's Education and Culture Program, Hatton has also been an 
assistant professor in Stanford's School of Education and president of 
South Carolina State University in Orangeburg. She did her undergraduate 
work at Howard University in Washington, D.C., earned her master's from 
Atlanta University and a second master's and Ph.D. from Stanford. 
 
    Hatton said Knoxville College is making an urgent appeal to local 
churches but will also approach the larger denomination as it establishes 
its work and precollegiate programs. Locally, for example, she said, the 
college is now seeking support to restore the campus Presbyterian church. 
 
    Nationally, Hatton said, the college will look to the denomination for 
advice and counsel on becoming "self-sustaining and self-sufficient over 
time." She said she believes Knoxville College can learn much from the 
management and policy framework of the PC(USA), particularly regarding how 
the denomination manages its properties and assets. 
 
    "I think that is a natural partnership for the college to seek with the 
church," Hatton said. "I believe we can learn from the expertise that the 
Presbyterian Church has gathered over the years." 
 
    Danna M. Wood, chair of the Knoxville College board of trustees and 
former assistant dean of Columbia University School of Social Work in New 
York, said the Knoxville chapter of the college alumni association held a 
breakfast in July attended by the mayor and other local community and 
business leaders. 
 
    Wood, an attorney and Knoxville College alumna, said community leaders 
are concerned over how the college has been managed in the past but still 
consider the institute an important educational, economic and cultural 
resource for the area. While making no firm promises to would-be students, 
Wood said the school expects to regain its accreditation in two years, 
possibly sooner. 
 
    "One of the things we're talking about doing is building our ties 
within the Knoxville community," Wood said. "That may take the form of 
developing work/study programs that would be held in the community. We're 
also looking at doing some redevelopment work in Mechanicsville, [Tenn.]. 
We're getting a very positive response from the community and that's 
critical to our success." 
 
    One significant recruiting tool being used by the college this year is 
the "Student Education Sale," according to George E. Curry, a Knoxville 
College alumni and editor-in-chief of  "Emerge: Black America's 
Newsmagazine." A first for the college in its 122 years, residential 
students under the plan could pay less than $3,000 this academic year in 
out-of-pocket expenses. 
 
    Knoxville College is offering a one-time opportunity to attend college 
for as little as $2,350 to $2,600 in cash, depending on individual needs 
and grades, for the 1997-98 school year. It typically costs $9,872 to 
attend Knoxville, but through a combination of grants, scholarships and 
work aid, Curry said, students will be able to attend classes at the 
college by paying less than $3,000, payable in installments. 
 
    "We're hoping this will attract two kinds of students," said Curry, who 
also chaired the search committee that recommended Hatton as president to 
the board of trustees. "One, those who've put off going back to college, 
and two, students who are willing to risk being part of this new experiment 
as we rebuild Knoxville College. It requires a certain amount of trust on 
their part, but some of us wouldn't put our reputations on the line to be a 
part of Knoxville College if we weren't sure we could pull this thing off." 
 
    The denomination and church leaders are also supporting the college as 
it works toward recovery. In February, the Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams, 
associate for racial ethnic schools and colleges in the National Ministries 
Division (NMD), and the Rev. Curtis A. Kearns Jr., NMD director, went on a 
fact-finding tour to Knoxville College, Barber-Scotia College and Johnson 
C. Smith University, and have scheduled visits to Stillman College and Mary 
Holmes College Nov. 6-7. 
 
    In June, the General Assembly Council (GAC) approved a $200,000 advance 
to Knoxville College in order to ensure Hatton's salary requirements. 
Newbern-Williams said Knoxville College will pay the money back in 
installments over the next four to five years. The GAC also agreed to 
borrow $1.5 million to aid the financially ailing Barber-Scotia College in 
Concord, N.C. 
 
     Patricia G. (Pat) Brown, moderator of the 209th General Assembly 
(1997), Kearns and Newbern-Williams will tour Knoxville College Aug. 28-29. 
During their visit, they'll also meet with the Rev. Lewis W. Fowler Jr., 
executive presbyter of East Tennessee Presbytery, and the Rev. J. Harold 
Jackson, synod executive of the Synod of Living Waters. Fowler said Hatton 
will meet with the moderator, Jackson, Kearns, Newbern-Williams and other 
church officials Aug. 29 to discuss how the relationship between the 
college, presbytery and synod can be strengthened. 
 
    Although the stakes are high at Knoxville College, many say there is 
one significant factor that could make the difference as Hatton attacks the 
institution's problems -- her board is behind her. Knoxville College has a 
history of conflict between presidents and board members, but Hatton was 
unanimously selected by the board on the first ballot. 
 
    "We really feel like this is our last chance," Wood said. "If we don't 
make it now, then we're really going to be out of business." 
 
    Fall enrollment applications for Knoxville College must be made no 
later than Sept. 1. For more details, contact the college admissions office 
at 1-800-743-5669 or (423) 524-6551. 
 
    Knoxville College was founded in 1875 by what was then the United 
Presbyterian Church of North America. 

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