Morris Brown College, a historically Black institution in Atlanta, Georgia, lost its accreditation in April of 2003 but has kept its doors and classrooms open in spite of a significant loss in funding and enrollment.
The well-known college, which once enrolled thousands of students and was also a part of the Atlanta University Center Consortium — which includes Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse School of Medicine — suffered a loss in accreditation due to issues stemming from its finances.
It once housed the typical fixtures of any college or university. The school had its own stadium, athletic teams, dormitories, cafeteria and a bustling campus filled with students. That all gradually disappeared along with the school’s accreditation in the early 2000s under the leadership of its former president, Dr. Dolores Cross, who was found guilty of embezzling federal funds.Isn
These losses, which would normally send students flocking elsewhere, have surprisingly not deterred a core group of students who remain committed to the college that was founded by the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1881.
“Students, faculty and staff who come to Morris Brown have made a conscientious decision to join us for various reasons, whether it be family ties, alumni or the historic value of the college,” says Dr. Stanley Pritchett, the college’s 18th president.
The college currently employs just five full-time professors and 10 adjunct instructors. They all teach in the three majors that the college offers, which are business administration, organizational management and leadership (OML), and music.
“Our current status has not changed that enthusiasm or willingness to move forward,” says Pritchett, who was appointed to lead Morris Brown College in March 2010. He has been serving as acting president of the college since July 2008.
