Bennett College Sues After Loss Of Appeal To Save Accreditation

Updated at 9:00 p.m.:

Bennett College has filed a lawsuit against the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges after the loss of its appeal to save its accreditation. The school made the announcement at a press conference Friday evening on campus. Bennett College will remain accredited during legal proceedings. In a press release, President Phyllis Worthy Dawkins says, "The negative decision by SACSCOC to remove Bennett from membership will not disrupt the daily operations of the College."

Original story:

Bennett College in Greensboro has lost its accreditation. The historically black women's college was unsuccessful in its appeal of the decision despite a giant fundraising effort.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) announced in a statement Friday that it would uphold the December 9th decision to terminate the accreditation of Bennett College.

The school appealed the decision and on Monday, Bennett officials met with the accrediting agency in Atlanta.

To support its appeal, the college embarked on a fundraising effort called "Stand With Bennett," raising over $9 million.

Despite the results, the appeals committee found that Bennett, “failed to show that the institution possesses resources demonstrating a stable financial base to support the mission and scope of programs and services.”

The school's president, Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, has indicated in the past that the school will pursue legal action if it loses its accreditation, and that Bennett is seeking accreditation with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.