BECKLEY (WVVA) - Mountain State University officials said they plan to promptly appeal the revocation of the school's accreditation at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
The regional Higher Learning Commission announced on its website Tuesday that it had elected to withdraw full accreditation from the school.
The board made the decision on June 28. MSU's interim president Richard Sours says he was notified by email Monday evening.
The school's Board of Trustees said it was disappointed and surprised to learn of the commission's ruling.
Read the Board of Trustees full statement
View the commission's full report
MSU will remain accredited while the appeal is under consideration. That process could take up to 16 weeks.
Last year, the commission placed the private Beckley-based university on a "show-cause" status, citing shortcomings in governance, leadership and faculty. The commission says Mountain State hasn't demonstrated to its satisfaction that the problems have been corrected.
According to an Associated Press report in May, university officials met in Chicago with five trustees from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to present the school's case.
In February, commission officials had visited the school's Beckley campus to evaluate whether the school has corrected problems in governance, leadership and faculty.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Interim President Richard Sours
