The announcement was made Tuesday at the SACS Annual Conference in Dallas.
“We are pleased to have received a favorable report from SACS regarding our reaffirmation. I would like to commend the team involved with the reaffirmation process and thank them for their countless hours of work toward continuing our academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment,” said Shorter University President Donald Dowless, who is in Dallas at the conference, in a press release issued by school officials.
The reaffirmation continues Shorter University’s accreditation for a 10-year period through 2022.
SACS visited the university in April amidst protestors who were upset about the university’s Faith and Personal Lifestyle Statement, which faculty and staff members were required to sign.
During an interview in April, Wheelan said the statement of faith would not have any bearing on the school’s reaccreditation.
“They can do that. They’re a private college, and it’s part of their mission. Other colleges are doing the same thing,” Wheelan said. “Liberty (University in Virginia) has been doing that for a long time.”
More than 60 Shorter staff and faculty members resigned after the Board of Trustees passed a measure that required them to sign a Faith and Personal Lifestyle statement in which they agree, among other things, to “reject as acceptable all sexual activity not in agreement with the Bible, including, but not limited to, premarital sex, adultery and homosexuality.”
Two protests that included students, alumni and former faculty members were conducted after the university changes were announced.
Hopefully, eliminating this uncertainty will turn those things around.
Can they get a waiver from the state on their staff?
Nursing was an important and profitable program at Shorter before all those people bolted for Berry. I hope state regulations don't derail Dr. Dowless's attempts to keep it going.
I wonder where Harbin, Floyd and Redmond stand on all this?
As a matter of integrity it would seem to me Nelson Price should suggest all incoming Freshmen read Giberson and Stephens The Anointed and let them know flat out Shorter College does agree with the conclusions of these self professing Christians.
Also an introduction into the History and Legacy of the John Birch Society in NW Georgia should be taught in Shorter's Cultural History courses.
Just a few days ago I got in the mail the fall issue of the Furman Alumni Mag from my alma mater. You can read online at furman.edu/fumag a gutsy article on Furman 20 years after the Break with the S.C. Baptist Convention. As a former Historian for Furman and the South Carolina wrote me in Dec 1990 Furman went "cold Turkey" with the break.
The article has many quotes from Furman folks who went through that storm that saddened as they were by a break with a rich affiliating tradition, it was necessary for the vitality of the school.
Shorter has cast its sail with the Birch Society and the underbelly of the Tea Party. Will be interesting in 20 years to see their report on this travesty they have committed against the mind, and the best of the Baptist tradition.
P.S. Google Pierard, Franklin Graham, Frank Page and Richard Land at religiondispatches.org for an indicator of how the 2032 report on Shorter will most likely look like.
Big relief for everyone.