La Plume, Pa. – On Friday, August 16, Keystone College and Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER), a nonprofit organization formed to further and support higher education, announced that they have signed a merger agreement which, when fully executed, will merge the operations of Keystone under a newly formed subsidiary of WIER, 同时允许Keystone继续履行其目前的教育使命.
这份正式协议遵循了Keystone在5月份宣布的意向书，并将需要学院认证机构的批准, 中部州高等教育委员会(MSCHE)在全面生效之前. MSCHE已被告知各方的意向，并将向MSCHE提交额外的意见书，以支持他们对该提案的审查. 上周，Keystone宣布已向MSCHE提交了所有要求的文件，以“说明”为何其认证应继续存在. 该审查将在MSCHE对合并协议的审查之前独立进行. 获得宾夕法尼亚州教育部和美国教育部的批准, as well as the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, will also be necessary. During these review periods, which could extend into the spring 2025, Keystone remains accredited and will continue operation of classes, as well as all other college activities and intercollegiate sports, 并将在2024年秋季和未来的学期继续接受和招收新生和转学生.
拟议的合并协议将使Keystone College成为WIER的非营利性子公司, 学院的日常运作和学术使命基本保持不变. 协议的更多细节将在必要的认证和监管机构审查后公布.
In March 2024, after two years of discussions, Keystone和WIER都同意终止之前关于潜在联盟的安排. 两个组织之间的谈判在春季晚些时候恢复，并达成了目前的协议.
“我们非常幸运能够与WIER达成这项新协议，因为它为立博平台学院提供了一个可行的、更安全的未来, something that was uncertain earlier this year,” said Keystone President John F. Pullo, Sr. “WIER的这一承诺是支持我们与中部各州继续对话的重要组成部分，因为我们与他们密切合作，通过向他们保证Keystone的稳定性来保持我们的认证. We believe it also offers a more definitive message to the entire community, especially prospective Keystone students, that Keystone remains open and will continue to build upon our 156-year legacy.”
“整个学院社区都感谢WIER对Keystone未来的共同承诺,” Pullo continued. “WIER embraced Keystone’s mission when we started our conversations two years ago. While we mutually decided in March to abandon the previous agreement, we also agreed to continue our discussions. 这些会谈巩固了我们共同的决心，确保为Keystone项目开辟道路.”
Pullo指出，新协议的条款和条件更适合实现学院发展的综合目标，并为更广泛的学习者社区提供高质量的教育体验.
“美国高等教育正在失去太多像Keystone这样的机构，这些机构在历史上为那些大学教育改变了整个家庭轨迹的学生提供服务. While we are dedicated to enhancing that mission, with WIER’s support, 我们同样致力于创新，为当今各个领域的学生提供所需的教育机会, including online, international, and certifications,” Pullo added.
About WIER
WIER is an IRC 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation registered in Washington, D.C., and organized for the charitable purposes of furthering, funding, promoting, and supporting postsecondary education. WIER的目的包括建立和运营高等教育学位授予机构，以指导学生，资助和支持其他高等教育IRC 501(c)(3)授予机构. The Institute was founded in 2023.
MSCHE Update
8月1日，根据MSCHE的要求，Keystone College提交了Show Cause Report. “显示原因”报告提供支持性文件，说明为什么机构的MSCHE认证不应被撤销. 要求提交一份显示原因报告的原因是，在3月份完成的MSCHE自我研究之后，Keystone无法遵守标准VI. 标准VI要求一家机构拥有足够的财务资源，以维持长期生存能力. Keystone College remains accredited while on show cause.
在Keystone的“显示原因报告”中提交的项目中包括记录在案的财务资源, funding base, plans for financial development, multi-year budget, annual independent audit, as well as a support agreement with WIER. 《立博平台》不是一份公开文件，只与MSCHE共享.
该流程的下一步是由MSCHE指定的同行评审团队于8月27日至28日进行现场评估访问. Following that visit, 该小组将于9月向MSCHE提交报告，Keystone将有机会对该报告作出回应. In October, Keystone可以向MSCHE进行陈述，陈述可以解决在审查过程中提出的任何问题，并提供自原始报告提交以来的任何更新. The MSCHE action on show cause is not expected until November.
“有关高等教育机构以每周一所的速度关闭的全国性报告有据可查，令人震惊. 这些关闭极大地影响了系统中最脆弱的学生. 拯救和重建一所大学的过程是详尽的，必须慎重地进行. 在整个过程中，我们尽量做到透明，同时不会对预期结果产生负面影响,” said Tim Pryle, Keystone’s Vice President of Enrollment, Institutional Advancement, and Marketing. “The American marketplace has quality at every price point in all industries. Higher education is no different. At Keystone, we aim to reestablish ourselves by building on the quality, private, 在当今的高等教育市场上，Keystone以可承受的成本提供文科教育. 我们很高兴能在WIER找到一个合作伙伴，在我们共同的使命中不断前进.”
