Virginia University of Lynchburg Accreditation on Warning

The Transnational Assocation of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), its national institutional accreditor, recently changed Virginia University of Lynchburg's status from "Accredited" to "Accredited – Warning."

TRACS states that the reason for the change concerns financial reporting. TRACS requires VUL to submit its 2022 audit, an engagement letter and estimated time of completion for its 2023 audit, and a report detailing how it will adjust its auditing procedures to deliver timely audited financial statements to TRACS no later than November 30 each year.

VUL is a brick-and-mortar HBCU dating to 1866, and also well known here for its affordable online Doctor of Healthcare Administration.

 

I find it interesting that Lynchburg has so many universities.

•Liberty University
•University of Lynchburg
•Virginia University of Lynchburg
•Sweet Briar College
•Randolph College
•Central Virginia Community College

I would not classify the town as extremely large with a population of 79,009 as of the 2021 census so that many colleges surprises me. Lol

 

While he was still president of Liberty in 2020, Jerry Falwell Jr. stated the city of Lynchburg should change its name. He

Falwell voices support for renaming Lynchburg: Says L iberty University changed its original name in part over "embarrassment" (Kate Andrews, Virginia Business, July 10, 2020)

 

Lynchburg was founded by a man named John Lynch, who eventually freed his slaves and joined the antislavery movement. The term "lynching" likely draws its etymology from one of John Lynch's brothers, Charles Lynch. Charles was disowned by the Quakers for taking the oath to be Justice of the Peace. Interestingly, Lynch's court (which ran summary trials without due process) never sentenced anyone to death, but it was the extrajudicial nature of his acts that later associated the word with murder.

 

George Hitler's descendants in Ohio see it differently, Maniac.

"… A town in Ohio has roads and a pond named Hitler? The town of Circleville, Ohio, sports a Hitler No. 1 Road, Hitler No. 2 Road, Hitler Pond, Hitler Cemetery, and other places with the name. But none of it is named after German Führer Adolf Hitler (1889-1945). Instead, they’re named after one of the first settlers of the area, George Hitler (1763-1818) and his family. The Hitlers of Ohio were — and are — very honest, hard-working, down-to-earth folks who farmed the land. Their descendants – still using the name – live there today. And the people of Circleville don’t bat an eye when they talk about the Hitler family … they take it in their stride and have no issues with it (The Hitlers of Ohio … sounds like a great name for a situation comedy."

From here: https://hhjonline.com/does-a-town-in-ohio-have-a-lot-of-places-named-hitler-p19458-244.htm

There's also this - the history of Hitler Street in Kimmell, Indiana. (Early resident Joseph Hitler)
https://www.kpcnews.com/columnists/steve_garbacz/kpcnews/article_1ac8f77d-9e9a-567a-9c92-2cec70f81419.html

 

And if my name was Hitler -- I'd change it. Then nobody'd have to use my first name if they didn't want to. But hey - it was in the family for centuries and had nothing to do with Adolf. People can do what they want. I'm not their judge.

 

Outside of concern from alumni, VUL has not commented. Probably best to wait for a TRACS decision before applying - and I’m a grad!

 

"Lynch"? Well...

I think it would be cool if I remain unforgotten by something else! - I dream they would name the verb "to mac" after me, meaning "succeeding in a course because of profound working experience, but without properly learning".
Like in "The exam yesterday? I've completely macked it; I passed with 85% without even learning..."

 

Sorry to report, ...uh, Mac. That phrase is already taken.

Google: ""Macking" originally was US Black slang meaning "to work as a pimp", as in "Mackin' ain't easy". Latterly it becomes a term used for a process of flirting, with pimply overtones of somewhat deceptive seduction - sweet-talking someone until they do what you want"

Note: I've heard / read it used to denote sharp appearance - e.g. "Our Boy looks mackin' in that Zegna suit and the "bad" hat!"

My take: it might have come from a French expression I've heard - first time about 50-60 years ago "Un Mac et ses poules" - meaning a pimp and his working girls.

 

This Mack deserves a verb form too, to refer to a comeback with the connotation the best revenge is a life well lived. (And may Virginia University of Lynchburg get such a comeback!)

 

...Or maybe the word "Mac" was adopted by France from the many Expat African-American jazz and blues musicians in Paris, starting in the 20s and 30s. Quite a few found fame, appreciation and better treatment in Europe and stayed. One of my faves, Memphis Slim (born John Len Chatman) moved permanently to Paris in 1962 and remained there until his death in 1988. I've read somewhere that Slim was successful enough in Europe to have owned no less than five Rolls-Royce automobiles in his years there. My take: listen to him and you'll know he deserved those cars! Good bio. here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Slim


I think the video on this is cool, too. Tells a lot in a short time.

 

Somebody who knows French way better than I do (someone born in France) reached out to me and said "No, Johann. It's Mec, not Mac and it just means "guy."

So I checked - "mec" DOES indeed mean "guy, " or "dude" - at least nowadays. But here's how (Google) explains it.

What is the origin of the word MEC?
Etymology. From mac, a shortening of maquereau (“pimp”), from Dutch makelaar (“broker”).

So I was right - somehow - and my friend was, too. "Sixty million Frenchmen can't be wrong." Nor can one.

PS - My only encounter with "mec / mac" was 55 years ago watching a film. It definitely meant "pimp" in the movie. But that was then...
More recently, I read a novel in which a woman screamed "Maquereau!" at her lover for some transgression of his. There was absolutely no doubt as to her meaning...

 

I like Memphis Slim better. I must be old. I'll just take a nap and dream of schools I'd like to attend. Blind Lemon Jefferson University, the Lightnin' Hopkins Institute, Son House College. Maybe they'll have a T-Bone Walker Wing at Berklee. Yeah, they need that! Or maybe a Django Reinhardt Hall....zzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

So, Lynchburg should be Johntown, Johnville, or Johnburg?

 

Doesn't matter. Anything. Maybe "Tobacco Road." Like John D. Loudermilk's song. Or Erskine Caldwell's book. Each man was an American genius.

"Bring dynamite, and a crane...
Blow it up and start over again..."

(Best version - Lou Rawls - here)