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The Chronicle of Higher Education
December 16, 2003
5 Graduates Sue Spencerian College, Saying It Lied About Accreditation Status
Five graduates of a radiology-technology program at Spencerian College, in
Louisville, Ky., recently filed separate lawsuits in state and federal courts
against the institution, claiming that college employees lied about the program's
accreditation status. The fifth lawsuit was filed late last week, and lawyers
representing the graduates said they expect more former and current students
to take legal action against the proprietary institution.
Spencerian College operates two campuses in Kentucky as part of the seven-campus
Sullivan University System Inc., which specializes in certificate and degree
programs in business, technology, and health care. Lawyers at the Louisville-based
firm O'Bryan, Brown & Toner are representing the students, who are seeking
an unspecified amount in damages for the alleged fraud.
"We've talked to Spencerian about what they'd be willing to do, and basically
they're not willing to take responsibility in any way, shape or form,"
says Mark E. Hammond, a lawyer with O'Bryan, Brown. "They aren't willing
to help make things better for these students, so it's better left to a jury
at this point."
The institution's three-year radiology-technology program costs about $33,000
to complete, and is still not accredited by the proper organization, the Joint
Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Nine students have graduated
from the program, and 75 are currently enrolled. Without accreditation, students
cannot take the national licensing exam and earn the proper credentials for
employment.
Nevertheless, a Spencerian College brochure obtained by The Chronicle clearly
states that students would be eligible to take the exam.
A.R. Sullivan, the president of the university system, called the brochure
statement a regrettable error. Students have "every right to be aggrieved,"
he said, "but not to sue us for $750,000," the amount he says each
student has requested.
Mr. Sullivan also said that six of the nine initial graduates are currently
working as radiology technicians and did pass the required exam, administered
by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. An official with the Kentucky
Cabinet for Health Services confirmed that students were able to take the exam
under special circumstances, but are only certified to practice in the state
of Kentucky.
The state official, Robert L. Johnson, said that his organization worked with
the students and the accrediting board after they learned about the conflict,
and that exceptions to typical state regulations have been made to allow the
graduates who passed the exam to work in hospitals as radiology technicians.
Mr. Johnson added that the certification is a temporary two-year certification,
and that the students will have to re-take the exam if and when Spencerian College
receives accreditation for its program.
Mr. Sullivan said that the accrediting organization has scheduled a site visit
at Spencerian next month and that he expects the college to receive full accreditation
in April.
Spencerian did not apply to the accrediting committee until last June, after
the original class of nine students graduated. According to Mr. Sullivan, the
college should have applied earlier, but did not do so because of misinformation
from one of its employees.
"We had already been working with the Joint Committee before any of this
happened, and everything is going forward in a timely manner," said Mr.
Sullivan. "The only error is that we could have applied earlier. We regret
the mistake and will work with the students to make sure they pass the exam
again."
Adair County Progress
December 11, 2003
SCC Registered Nursing graduates achieve 100 percent pass rate
All 32 pass RN licensing exam
All 32 Registered Nursing students, who graduated in May 2003 from Somerset
Community College, passed their Registered Nursing license examination, according
to Linda Ballard, the coordinator of the SCC RN Program.
“We are very proud of this class,” Ballard said. “I think their
success is a measure of the quality of our nursing programs and our students’
abilities.”
“Linda, the nursing faculty and these students are a tribute to the high
quality of the instruction here at Somerset Community College,” said Jo
Marshall, the president of the College. “A 100 percent pass rate is a phenomenal
achievement. I salute the class of 2003.”
“The RN Program at SCC has averaged a 95 percent pass rate over the last
12 years. Now, that is something to be proud of,” Marshall continued.
The class contained students from ten of the counties served by the College.
Those counties were Adair, Clinton, Jackson, Laurel, Lincoln, McCreary, Pulaski,
Russell, Wayne and Whitley.
The test is the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
Successfully passing the test enables a nurse to be licensed in Kentucky.
“Having a 100 percent pass rate is something we are always striving for,”
said Ballard of the class’ achievement. “This is a result of the efforts
of our students, our strong faculty and the generosity of our partner hospitals,
doctor’s and nursing homes, which let us do our clinical practice at their
facilities.”
Ballard expressed her appreciation to Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, Marymount
Hospital, Wayne County Hospital and Rockcastle Hospital.
Graduates of the May 2003 SCC Registered Nursing Program are: Rachel Abbott,
McCreary County; Mary Baker, Jackson County; Banessa Beasley, Russell County;
Marga Bryant, Adair County; Lori Cloud, Whitley County; Jacob Coffey, McCreary
County; Betty Dawes, Wayne County; Sara Delph, Laurel County; Jamie Eubank,
Pulaski County; Heather Fox, Russell County; Tracy Hale, Lincoln County; Sami
Harrell, Pulaski County; Leo Jones, Pulaski County; Alanna Shanay Madden, Jackson
County; Peggy Morgan, Pulaski County; Lisa Murphy, Pulaski County; Amanda Perkins,
Russell County; Pamela Phelps, Pulaski County; Angela Pike, Adair County; Sherri
Powell, Pulaski County; Sabrina Prater, Wayne County; Michael Rayborn, Clinton
County; Brandy Rowe, Clinton County; Regina Sizemore, Laurel County; Ivey Smith,
Laurel County; Natasha Smith, Lincoln County; Sandra Stearns, Wayne County;
Amy Swain, McCreary County; Janice Thomas, Pulaski County; Anna Janae Tucker,
Wayne County; Jeannie Wilson, Lincoln County; and Amy York, Jackson County.
Ballard also praised the work of the general education faculty at SCC. She
said the Science, Math, Social Sciences and Humanities Departments at the College
provide the RN students with a solid background with which to enter the RN Program.
The SCC Registered Nursing Program is a two-year, selective admission program.
Interested students usually complete a course of general education before applying
for admission to the RN Program. Selection for the RN Program is based upon
such factors as a student’s ACT score or the National League of Nursing
Pre-Entrance Exam score and other factors. One class of 50 students begins each
year at SCC. Forty-Five students began with this class and 32 successfully completed
the two-years of study.
Somerset Community College, one of only 10 USDA National Centers of Excellence,
is a comprehensive two-year institution of higher education. SCC has campuses
in London and Somerset, and centers in Russell and McCreary Counties. SCC currently
has a new center under construction in Clinton. Call for admissions toll free
at 1-877-629-9722. The SCC website is located as www.somerset.kctcs.edu.
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