2024-05-06
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Study Abroad
Keystone College's Fate Uncertain Amidst Accreditation Threat
Looking at the Challenges to Keystone's Accreditation
Keystone College's Fate Uncertain Amidst Accreditation Threat
Keystone College, a Pennsylvania-based institution, has faced financial difficulties and heightened scrutiny from its accreditor, MSCHE. The college sought approval to be taken over by the Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER), a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., but the deal fell through. MSCHE posted a notice last week stating that Keystone is in "danger of imminent closure." The deal aimed to bring new funding to grow enrollment. Keystone is currently in negotiations with a new investment partner, and negotiations are ongoing. If MSCHE pulls Keystone's accreditation, the college could face closure due to lost access to federal financial aid. Almost all of Keystone's first-time, full-time undergraduates received federal grants in the 2021-22 academic year. Keystone has faced financial difficulties for several years and has faced budget deficits in the past four years. The college's enrollment has also steadily declined over the past decade. Mari Flynn, library director at Keystone, argued that these institutions owe their employees dignified closures, arguing that exits can still have some honor.
