The accrediting agency for Pittsburgh Technical College says the 80-year-old school “is in danger of imminent closure” and ordered its leaders to “demonstrate by June 28 why its accreditation should not be withdrawn.”
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education on Friday released a summary of board actions taken Thursday involving PTC, located in Oakdale.
Among other moves, it rejected a teach-out plan that the commission had ordered in March because the plan’s “quality and substance” were “insufficient to permit Commission review.”
Middle States asked for submission by June 17 of “a comprehensive, implementable teach-out plan and signed teach-out agreements with appropriate teach-out partner institutions, including any documentation supporting the agreements, as soon as they become available.”
The board further acted to “remind the institution of its obligation to plan for orderly closure,” according to a summary of the actions.
PTC has been beset by falling enrollment and financial woes exacerbated by infighting and accusations of wrongdoing by leaders, as well as heavy turnover among its employees and board.
But the college has insisted for months that it has no plan to shutter and that it is working on multiple fronts to ensure a sustainable future.
Closure or not?
As recently as Friday, a question-and-answer posted to its website addressed that question head-on:
“Q: Is PTC closing?
“A: No. As we continue to overcome past challenges, PTC is committed to ensuring that PTC is stable and sustainable long-term. We continue to look at options to strengthen our mission, programs and services, for the success of current and future students.”
In response to an inquiry from TribLive about the commission’s latest actions, the college’s public relations firm, Kirkpatrick Group, released a statement from the college’s president, Alicia Harvey-Smith:
“Pittsburgh Technical College remains actively engaged with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and continues to comply with all related requests for information. Amidst ongoing challenges, PTC remains focused on its students and making decisions to support the best path forward for the College.”
Friday’s developments involving PTC follow a seven-day stretch that has also seen the closure of 80 Triangle Tech campuses, including those in Pittsburgh and Greensburg, and closure of University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
PTC has 1,066 students, which is a little more than half its enrollment in 2016 when it transitioned from a for-profit to a nonprofit institution.
The school has been rocked by infighting over leadership, accusations of misconduct against Harvey-Smith, and counterclaims that she has been unfairly targeted. It is playing out as many schools face soft enrollment and rising costs.
Probation
In placing the school on probation in March, Middle States said in a post to its website that it acted due to “insufficient evidence that the institution is currently in compliance with Standard II (Ethics and Integrity) and Standard VI (Resources, Planning, and Institutional Improvement).”
The college has considered options to address issues including bond debt and other aspects of its fiscal health.
“That could be a sale or merger, refinancing. That’s one of the things we’re doing with the bondholders … trying to find what works best for everybody,” Steve Trusnovic, then a member of its board, said in January. He is the mayor of Oakdale.
The U.S. Department of Education earlier placed PTC on heightened cash monitoring.
Aaron Shenck, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Career Schools, said he hopes reports about potential closure do not come to pass. Last month, a group representing career schools said it had lined up a dozen or more institutions potentially able to help students finish their education.
“If the public reports about potential closure do become reality, it is vital that Allegheny County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and other education institutions work together to do everything they can to protect the interests of students currently enrolled at PTC,” he said.
Bill Schackner is a TribLive reporter covering higher education. Raised in New England, he joined the Trib in 2022 after 29 years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team. Previously, he has written for newspapers in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. He can be reached at bschackner@triblive.com.