I saw this article about a former mayor who was elected president of the unaccredited HBCU, Barber-Scotia College. His background indicates that he is a Walden graduate who earned his J.D. at William & Mary School of Law. Born in St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands, Rey spent his formidable years in Spring Lake, NC. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in Information Systems from Walden University, and a Juris Doctor degree from William & Mary School of Law. He is also a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Government Advance Leadership Corps. https://b-sc.edu/chris-v-rey-jd-named-president-of-barber-scotia-college/ For those who might be curious, the school lost its accreditation in 2014 "due to what the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools said was a failure to comply with SACS Principles and Philosophy of Accreditation (Integrity), as the school "awarded degrees to nearly 30 students in the adult program who SACS determined hadn't fulfilled the proper requirement" (Wikipedia). Morris Brown College, another HBCU, was without accreditation from 2003 to 2022. I wish the new B-SC president all the best in leading the college to achieve institutional accreditation.
I wish him the best, too. And a suggestion, that he's probably aware of already. He might do well to call TRACS. They have developed quite a reputation for helping HBCUs regain recognized US accreditation. They are the agency that stepped up to the plate for 140-year-old Morris Brown College, that you mentioned. As you also wrote, Chris, that was after 19 years with no accreditation. TRACS is not my favourite accreditor -- but this is an exceptional thing they have done for HBCUs. That makes me like them a lot better.
In 2022 news media reported a total of 4 (four) students were taking courses at the college – all online. DEAC?
I don't think so, Jonathan. (1) Being down to 4 students is a problem, no matter who you call. (2) TRACS has established a record of helping HBCUs regain accreditation when nobody else will. DEAC hasn't. I'm not even sure if they have ONE HBCU on their roster. I rather think not. Nope - I said TRACS for a reason and I'm sticking to it. And no matter who they call or don't, I wish Barber-Scotia College and their new leader every success.
One bit of Black excellence in DEAC history is that it accredited California National University for Advanced Studies, a business and engineering focused school founded in 1993 and closed in 2017. CNUAS was owned by a Black woman, Janice Bryant Howroyd, who's evidently highly successful in other businesses and a noted philanthropist.
Good news - initial accreditation by DEAC to a school (not an HBCU) owned by a distinguished Black woman. But I think the fact that TRACS has now accredited seven HBCU's is, well.... Story of TRACS and HBCUs here: https://www.diverseeducation.com/opinion/article/15291474/getting-back-on-track-with-tracs-an-accreditation-agency-blazing-a-trail-for-small-hbcus
Chris Rey is an outstanding young man I call friend. He was Mayor of Spring Lake, NC for 2 terms. He is a retired Major in the Army Reserves. He was elected International President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and held countless volunteer service leadership roles. We spoke many times through the years of his desire to enter higher education, specifically in leadership roles in HBCUs. In the political vernacular he knows how to "make the sausage". If anyone can turn this institution around, Chris Rey is the man!
"Born in St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands, Rey spent his formidable years in Spring Lake, NC." No biggie, but I assume they mean "formative" years.
Barber-Scotia College chief: School aims for accreditation (Cameron Williams, The Charlotte Post, July 16, 2024)
Has to be. Sits right outside Fort Bragg, NC. Spent some good years there jumping out of perfectly good airplanes! As I was leaving the base to another assignment, the city was getting a revival and a nice makeover.
