Southern Virginia College -- a private school targeting LDS Church members -- has won "preaccreditation" from the American Academy for Liberal Education.
That caps four years of seeking national accreditation for the school since a group of LDS investors bought it in '96 and changed its focus to attract church members.The school, previously known as Southern Seminary in Buena Vista, Va., lost accreditation just before the sale because of years of declining enrollment and financial difficulties. It planned to close before the LDS investors rescued it and changed its name.
Since then, the school won state accreditation from Virginia in 1997. That allowed it to apply for national accreditation and go through years of review toward that end.
The "preaccreditation" it won came after review of its programs and on-campus visits to ensure it is meeting fundamental requirements. For the next three years, the academy will monitor the college closely before granting full accreditation.
"We are thrilled with the AALE's decision to grant us preaccreditation," said SVC President E. Curtis Fawson. "The AALE accredits liberal arts institutions and programs throughout the country. We are looking forward to the additional opportunities preaccreditation provides."
Nationally recognized accreditation is necessary to allow students to apply for federal aid and to ease transfer of credits to other institutions.
"We've done, I feel, a remarkable job of reaching this point. We've transformed a two-year college with declining enrollment into a four-year college that is already close to capacity in just four years of operation," Fawson said.