From staff reports
Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, president of Clarion University, announced Tuesday the PennWest integration project that would combine the Clarion, California, and Edinboro campuses into one university has received initial approval from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
“This is an important milestone on the path to integration,” Pehrsson said in a statement to personnel at all three campuses.
She said the approval of the “complex substantive change request” submitted by California, Clarion, and Edinboro has provided a clear path forward for the three campuses to officially unite as Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest), effective July 1.
“The Department of Education requires a university to be accredited in order to receive federal funds, including student financial aid. Accreditation also assures students, families and communities that the university has completed a rigorous review process and provides a high-quality education,” Pehrsson explained.
“The commission’s action validates the extraordinary work of the hundreds of students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni and community members who contributed to this groundbreaking project,” said Pehrsson.
Pehrsson is also serving as interim president of Edinboro and California universities.