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PINEVILLE, La. (AP) — Louisiana College officials say the Rapides Parish school is no longer on probation with its accrediting agency, and they have addressed concerns about external influence.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has officially removed the private Pineville Baptist school from probation, Louisiana College President Rick Brewer told local media outlets Tuesday.
"This means our accreditation is no longer in question," Brewer said. "It means we can continue to advance the college and its vision and mission. ... It means we have met the standards (SACS requires)."
SACS placed the school on probation in June 2014 and extended it this June, when the college said it was in compliance with five of the six standards that led to it being placed on probation in the first place. At the time, the only unresolved standard was, "external influence."
Much of the debate over external influence revolved around Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins also being a member of the school's Board of Trustees, an issue raised by former trustees before they resigned.
School officials have since added safeguards by offering trustees a route to report any relevant issues over external influence, Brewer said. Hankins remains a member of the school's Board of Trustees.
Brewer said the school now must grow its program offerings if it is to grow its student body.
"The probationary sanction has been weighing on the college, but today, God showed us great favor," Board of Trustees Chairman Randy Harper said in a statement. "Now we can focus on even more things for the college's future. Our best days are still ahead of us."
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