ACICS Denied Preliminary Injunction from Federal District Court to Halt Implementation of Department of Education Decision
(February 21, 2017) – Today, the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (“ACICS”) was denied its motion for a Preliminary Injunction to halt implementation of the December 12, 2016 decision by the Department of Education to withdraw ACICS’s recognition as a nationally-recognized accreditation agency. The Court has not set a trial date to begin reviewing the merits of the claim.
Roger Williams, ACICS Interim President, issued the following media statement:
“While we are disappointed, as we believed the Department’s decision to withdraw our recognition was flawed. Today’s ruling is not a reflection on the merits of our case and we look forward to presenting the full set of facts at trial. Indeed, the facts are making the issue more urgent by the day. As we have seen in the weeks since the Department’s decision, it has resulted in very real and meaningful harm to the more than two hundred thousand students currently enrolled at institutions ACICS accredits. Several institutions have shut down or announced plans to cease operations given the uncertainty created by the Department. Students at institutions that remain open are rightly concerned about the credit transfer process, given the shadow of doubt created by federal officials. ACICS has worked diligently to correct any shortcomings by instituting many new initiatives to address the Department’s concerns and strengthen the accreditation process. Those efforts will continue as we seek to ensure a high standard for ourselves and the institutions we accredit and, ultimately, for the students we serve.”