Accreditor puts College of St. Joseph on probation

The College of St. Joseph has two years to shore up its financial resources before it loses its accreditation.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, which accredits the small, private Rutland college, announced its decision to place the school on probation on Wednesday.

“Though disappointing news, this should not come as a surprise to anyone, given how open we have been about our financial struggles,” CSJ President Jennifer Scott said in a prepared statement. She did not respond to an interview request.

Facing dwindling enrollment, the school has been struggling for years to make ends meet and earlier this year openly considered closing altogether. CSJ’s trustees rallied in May, voting to keep the school open and endorsing a plan to raise revenues by opening a childcare center, using incentives to encourage new enrollment, and marketing the college’s campus for events.

In a statement released Wednesday, the college said it would double-down on its efforts to cut spending, increase enrollment, solicit local philanthropic and business support, and fundraise. It announced the launch of a two-year endowment campaign called “ASCEND: The Campaign for CSJ” with a goal of raising $3.5 million by June 2020.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2018/08/16/accreditor-puts-college-st-joseph-probation/