While administrators at St. Andrews see clear skies without SACS, some students have mixed forecasts on the recent settlement.

St. Andrews Presbyterian College recently ended its lengthy legal dispute with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in a settlement where St. Andrews will retain its accreditation through SACS until the end of the semester, whereby the college will be without regional accreditation.

St. Andrews had been maintaining its accreditation through a legal injunction and the dispute had been in court since August of 2007, when SACS affirmed a ruling by one of its committees to strip St. Andrews of accreditation because of concerns over their finances.

School officials say accreditation through the American Academy for Liberal Education will sufficiently replace SACS, though several issues still need to be resolved with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and other organizations that do not yet recognize the fledgling nationally-recognized accrediting organization.

Allen Keifer, a 22-year old sports management major from Fayetteville, is among those concerned about the issue.

"It feels like we didn't get what we wanted from a school aspect," Keifer said. "It brings about a lot of questions such as graduate school. A lot of students are worried because some schools only take SACS. Losing SACS is big damage to school at least until the AALE gets more experience... Everybody is worried about it and how things are going to change what we are accustomed to. A lot of people have left because of question marks, but you can't blame them."

He remembered when SACS decided to pull St. Andrews accreditation during the summer between his freshman and sophomore years.

"When I found out about it, it was a big surprise," Keifer said. "I had family members come to this school so before I only heard good things. This happened and a lot of question marks started coming."

If he'd known about a possible loss of accreditation, Keifer said he would have looked elsewhere for his undergraduate studies.

"I definitely would not have come to this school," Keifer said. "I'm not a man who takes a lot of risks. You spend so much on school, I would have invested in something that's a safer bet."

Keifer isn't concerned so much for himself, however, as he finishes in May.

"I'll graduate at the end of the semester so I know I'm good to go."

Interdisciplinary studies major Charles Phillips, a 22-year old Atlanta resident, said the accreditation battle between SACS and St. Andrews took everyone by surprise.

"It had everybody nervous and in shock to see if they were going to graduate, and athletes to see if seasons were going to be cancelled," Phillips said. "A lot of students were talking about leaving."

Phillips said he may have rethought his decision to attend when applying to St. Andrews had he known the college would face issues with accreditation. He does not regret his decision, however.

"Even if I was not graduating (this semester), I would still stay. It's a good school and I get along with the professors."

Ester Brayton recalls students being dismayed when the colleges accreditation first came in jeopardy.

"The major issue started happening my sophomore year," Brayton said. "A lot of people left. Parents pulled them out because they were scared the school was going to end. We had a mini panic. Now, haven't really seen a lot of response. Since it's been going on for years now people know what they are getting into. There has been a lot of communication between school and our parents."

The 21-year old psychology major from Concord said she never doubted in her education, however.

"I've never been worried about it," Brayton said. "I heard a lot of issues with it but the school always assured us if we had accreditation by the time we graduate we had nothing to worry about."

She doubts it will impact her when she graduates in May.

"It won't affect my future because St. Andrews has a good reputation and people know that," Brayton said.

Natasha Harris, a sophomore from Westbridgewater, Mass., said she has become part of the community at St. Andrews.

"Walking on these grounds feels like a family," Harris said. "We have people from every part of the world. We're open and we're friendly."

The 20-year old equine business management major said there were many laudable aspects of the Laurinburg college.

"St. Andrews is a small school, has beautiful scenery and the rooms are comfortable," Harris said. "There's one on one interaction between students and professors. The professors really encourage us to think, they want us to learn things. Everyone is combined."

While the community is still there, Harris said, some have been shaken up by the accreditation change.

"It did bring a lot of people to change but led others to figure out this is what I really want to do; it forced them to focus," Harris said. "(It's been a) big scare for athletes involved in NCAA sports. They are the ones who are really effected.... Unfortunately a lot of other students have been scared into moving to other directions."

Dominique Holliday, a 19-year old freshman studying sports management, hopes that St. Andrews will do well under AALE accreditation

"It would be pretty sad if the school shut down," Holliday said. "It is a great school with great professors."

He said the accreditation issues have caused concerns among many.

"A lot of students left," Holliday said. "People are obviously scared, but you've got to make decisions. It's your future."

St. Andrews junior Hope Beatson predicts a difficult transition as students reassess their futures.

"It's definitely going to be tough on us all," Beatson said. "We are going to lose a lot of athletes, but our equestrian program is still going strong and we just have really great professors and our (class sizes) are tiny. We really are a community. We do everything together since it's so few of us. Such a real community keeps us here."

Beatson foresees the change from SACS to AALE will unite students to overcome any difficulties that may come on.

"Its going to make it so we are going to have to come together or fall apart," Beatson said. "It's better to face things together than alone."

The 21-year old business major said she came to St. Andrews from VIrginia Beach, Va., with a mission.

"I'm here to ride horses and get my education," Beatson said. "We have great professors, professors that have a way to bring things out of me and make me think. The equestrian program is phenomenal and it just fits."

Graduate schools

Graduate schools also had mixed responses on the issue of accreditation.

Charles Harrington, provost of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, saw little chance for the accreditation issue to keep St. Andrews graduates from pursuing graduate degrees.

"I just really can't see the fact that they are moving from SACS to this other accrediting body will have much of an impact, if any impact at all," Harrington said. "UNCP will work with St. Andrews and their students to make sure those graduates who want to pursue graduate studies at UNCP will have that opportunity."

Even should things not work out with AALE, the provost saw little effect on future graduates.

"I think the impact of the loss of accreditation for St. Andrews will be minimal for St. Andrews graduates," Harrington said.

Duane Larick, dean of the North Carolina State University Graduate School, said the settlement between St. Andrews and SACS may keep future St. Andrews graduates out of the graduate school if they don't receive full accreditation by AALE.

NCSU accepts credits from all nationally accredited colleges and universities. If accreditation lapses even for part of a semester, credits earned during the period without accreditation will have to be considered on an individual basis, Larick said.

He said the university tries to work with students when issues like this arise.

The issue will not affect any of the college's alumni or any student graduating in May, nor will it affect any St. Andrews graduates currently admitted to one of State's programs.

"We would not view them differently than any other student," Larick said.

Belle Wheelan, president of SACS, confirmed the recent announcement by St. Andrews that the two organizations reached a settlement.

She said that SACS agreed to extend accreditation to the college through the end of May so they can finish the accreditation process with AALE. They currently have pre-institutional accreditation.

"They are waiting on the US Department of Education to decide whether or not they can switch from us to another accreditor as their primary accreditor," Wheelan said.

She said St. Andrews should be finished with this process by May.

Wheelan said the accrediting organization did not gain anything from the lengthy court battle.

"We haven't gained anything – we lost a member," Wheelan said. "In the end, the students were the ones left in limbo during the process."

Wheelan said the liberal arts college can seek to regain membership in SACS, even after the legal dispute that lasted more than two years

"They are more than welcome to reapply at anytime."

St. Andrews does not have current enrollment figures for the spring semester and will not have those figures until the drop / add period ends in two weeks, according to Communications Director Melissa Hopkins.

The enrollment for the fall semester was exactly 600 students.