LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Baptist College announced Thursday that the college was removed from probation status by the High Learning Commission.
The school said the HLC findings show that its "resource base supports its educational offerings" and plans to improve the college in the future.
Among the reasons cited include reducing the college's debt by over $30 million, expecting a revenue of nearly $4.4 million in 2022, and an increase of 262 new students in 2021.
ABC also reduced the rate at which students defaulted on federal student loans.
“This extremely positive outcome is the result of the intense focus and resolve of every member of our faculty, staff, board, foundation, students and our community," said Regina Favors, interim president of Arkansas Baptist College. "The Arkansas Baptist College family expresses our gratitude for the time, commitment, and financial resources that have been provided in this restorative effort.”
Favors continued that through the schools' 138-year history it has faced "countless challenges" and has prevailed each time.
"Yet we have prevailed time and time again by the grace of God and the support of people of faith who are committed to the mission of our founders, the former slaves who built this school with their own hands, and were committed then, as we are now, to provide a place to learn, with a passion for learning and a commitment to making the world a better place,” Favors said.
The school was place on probation in February 2019 when it was deemed "out of compliance" with HLC requirements.