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The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, a U.S. Department of Education-recognized institutional accreditor, has placed Oakdale-based Pittsburgh Technical College on probation, WPXI reports.
On its website, the MSCHE lists PTC's status as "non-compliance probation." Being under probation, according to the MSCHE, could jeopardize PTC's accreditation.
The MSCHE states that the reasoning for placing PTC under probation is due to the school providing "insufficient evidence that the institution is currently in compliance with Standard II (Ethics and Integrity) and Standard VI (Resources, Planning, and Institutional Improvement)."
It said that by May 1, 2024, PTC must provide a monitoring report with evidence that PTC has "achieved and can sustain ongoing compliance" with these standards, including evidence of how PTC handles records student, faculty and staff complaints and resolutions over a four-year time period, how PTC fosters a climate of respect amongst students, faculty, staff and administration across diverse backgrounds, documents displaying financial stability, compliance with federal Title IX laws and other state regulations and updated financial information that relates to PTC's heightened cash monitoring status.
PTC's confirmed the probationary status via its public relations representative.
"Pittsburgh Technical College is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). PTC can confirm that MSCHE has notified the College that it remains accredited while placed on temporary probation," PTC said in a provided statement. "PTC is actively engaged with MSCHE representatives and plans to fully comply with all related requests for information and address any issues raised by MSCHE to its satisfaction. PTC is one of about 20 institutions of higher education currently in some status of non-compliance action with MSCHE. We remain focused on our students and their success, and are committed to filling the workforce pipeline and training the next generation of workers in Western Pennsylvania and beyond."
Also due for submission by May 1, according to the MSCHE, is a teach-out plan for how students can complete their education if the commission withdraws PTC's accreditation and agreements it has or may enter into with other institutions.
According to WPXI, the MSCHE will make two visits to PTC and ultimately, the full commission will vote to take action. According to the MSCHE, PTC last had its accreditation reaffirmed in 2017, the same year that the school restructured to be a nonprofit college.