At its meeting on April 21, 2022, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) voted to place Bay State College on probation for a period not to exceed four years because the Commission found that the College is not meeting the Commission’s Standards on Institutional Resources and Organization and Governance, specifically that the institution did not demonstrate that its resources are sufficient to sustain the quality of its educational programs and to support institutional improvement now and in the foreseeable future and that it has an effective system of governance and sufficient administrative capacity.
Institutions placed on probation remain accredited and eligible for federal funding, including student aid. In addition, the Commission voted to issue a Notation with respect to Bay State College because the Commission found that the College’s accreditation may be in jeopardy if current conditions continue or worsen with respect to the Commission’s standards on Students and Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship. The Commission is concerned about the College’s ability to meet its enrollment goals and to ensure it has sufficient faculty and staff to support its educational programs.
The Commission will monitor the institution’s progress to bring itself back into compliance with the Standards on Institutional Resources and Organization and Governance and its success in addressing the matters that led to the Notation for Students and Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship through a Fall 2022 progress report and focused evaluations in Fall 2023 and Fall 2025. In response to the Commission’s decision, Bay State College’s Interim President Jeff Mason said, “The Bay State community is grateful to the Commission and its staff for their support as the College continues to achieve the goals in its Strategic Enrollment Plan, while providing excellent career-focused academic programming and superior student services.
The College will build upon its recent financial successes to continue to stabilize and optimize the institution’s resources, pursuing its hiring initiatives to provide the faculty and staff necessary to support the academic program. Bay State will remain the college of choice in this region for career-minded students and the employers who seek well-educated graduates.” The Chair of Bay State’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Tom Clawson, said, “Bay State College has a vision for the future, and our owner has the resources and resolve to keep our college moving ahead. Bay State College will continue to be a valued resource for first-generation college students in our region.”
The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of education. The Commission accredits 205 degree granting institutions in the six New England states, one system with seven universities, and twelve American-style institutions in other countries. Bay State College was first accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (now NECHE) in 2008. Bay State is a private for-profit college whose mission is to prepare students for successful careers and global citizenship through academic rigor and individualized support.