§ 6-53-209 - Interim accreditation and governance.
6-53-209. Interim accreditation and governance.
(a) The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board is hereby authorized to act as the legal entity, governing board, and receiver of all property for any institution not accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and seeking merger or consolidation with an existing institution of higher education during the interim period when approval of institutional change from the commission is being sought.
(b) Upon approval by the commission, all records, personnel, property, unexpended balances, and all legal authority shall pass from the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board to the legal entity governing the newly merged or consolidated institution.
(c) The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board is hereby authorized to provide accreditation for a period of up to six (6) years to any institution governed by the state board.
(d) Until such time as the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board approves associate of applied science degrees for the institutions identified in 6-53-301(a), no change in the educational mission of those institutions is intended or authorized by this chapter. Therefore, the State Board of Workforce Education and Career Opportunities must show cause why accreditation of those institutions should not be continued and, further, must provide twelve (12) months notice of any action to withdraw its accreditation of those institutions.
(e) Any postsecondary vocational-technical school other than those listed in 6-53-301 and 6-53-404 which receives approval from the state board and the General Assembly to begin the process of consolidation or merger with an existing institution of higher education shall be governed by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board in accordance with the provisions of this section and 6-53-302(f), (h), and (i) pending approval of the merger or consolidation from the commission.
(f) Should any consolidation plan fail to be approved by the commission, the provision of 6-53-301(g) shall apply to the postsecondary vocational-technical school or technical college seeking merger or consolidation with an institution of higher education.