RE: Commission Action of Show Cause for Paine College (PC)

Dear President McCorn:

At its meeting on October 21, 2025, the TRACS Accreditation Commission voted to:

1. 1. Defer consideration of granting Reaffirmation of Accreditation until the April 2026 meeting of the Accreditation Commission due to non-compliance with noted Institutional Eligibility Requirements (IER) Accreditation Standards.


2. 2. Grant the institution a "good cause" extension of its Accreditation until June 30, 2026.


3. 3. Require the institution to (1) Show Cause as to why Reaffirmation of Accreditation should not be denied at the April 2026 Commission meeting, (2) submit a Show Cause response per the requirements of TRACS Policy BP211 (including a Teach-Out Plan) within 60 days of receiving the official Show Cause notification, and (3) submit an updated Compliance Report by March 1, 2026, for consideration at the April 2026 Commission meeting.

At the request of Paine College (PC), an Evaluation Team from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) conducted an Evaluation Team Visit to the institution on July 14-17, 2025. The purpose of the visit was to determine the level of compliance the institution has with the TRACS Standards to qualify them for Reaffirmation I Status, as a Category II institution.

The Evaluation Team gave PC seven (7) Findings and five (5) Recommendations as reflected in the Evaluation Team Report. The institution also was given six (6) Suggestions as noted in the Evaluation Team Report. The institution was only required to address Findings and Recommendations in its Compliance Report.

PC's Compliance Report addressing the Findings and Recommendations noted in the Evaluation Team Report was submitted on the TRACS portal on September 1, 2025. A Staff Analysis Report was provided for Commission consideration. A review of the Compliance Report and supporting documentation by TRACS Accreditation Commission finds that PC has not satisfactorily addressed the seven (7) Findings, while satisfactorily addressing just one (1) of the five (5) Recommendations given by the Evaluation Team. The Accrediting Commission was unable to confirm compliance with the following TRACS Institutional Eligibility Requirement Standards (IERs): 2.1, 3.1, 7.1, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, and 13.1.

TRACS Staff and Commission thoroughly reviewed the institution's narratives and attached documents submitted in response to Findings 4, 5, and 6 (relative to TRACS Financial Standards 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3). The historical analyses and proposed action steps seemed to be reasonable, actionable, and appropriate. However, the institution failed to supply sufficient verifiable or documented information (audits, bank statements, new line of credit agreements) that would indicate compliance with standards 11.1, 11.2 or 11.3. The most notable evidence lacking is the certified audit for the 2024-2025 fiscal year (IER 11.2).

Because PC failed to demonstrate compliance with Standards 2.1, 3.1, 7.1, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, and 13.1, Section D.3. of TRACS policy BP211 (Sanctions and Adverse Action) states that an additional and more severe sanction is warranted. The Accreditation Standards and policies referenced in this letter may be found on the TRACS website.

Per TRACS Policy BP211 Section G.3.a, the Commission placed PC under a "Show Cause". That policy states:

  a. Institutions required to Show Cause must submit a written report to the TRACS office which provides all of the institution's reasons that the Accreditation Commission should not take Adverse Action resulting in the termination of its accreditation. This report is required in addition to any other report(s) specifically required by the Accreditation Commission. The Accreditation Commission may interpret a failure to submit this report on time as an indication that the institution acknowledges its non-compliance with the issues in question. The report must:
  i. Address all of the actions it has taken to remedy its deficiencies and demonstrate compliance with the Accreditation Standards, TRACS policies and procedures or any applicable Federal Regulations;
  ii. Include a Teach-Out Plan which meets the requirements of TRACS Policies BP222 and BP224; and
  iii. Be received within 60 days of the day the official notice of the Show Cause action is received by the institution.

As a part of its required 60-day response to this letter of notification, PC is required to submit responses to the areas of non-compliance noted above utilizing the Compliance Report on the TRACS portal no later than January 13, 2026.

According to Federal Regulation § 602.26 (b) you are required to disclose this action within seven (7) business days of receipt to all current and prospective students.

Additionally, based on the Commission action, Paine College must make the following statement everywhere it identifies its accreditation status:

Paine College is a member of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) [15935 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551; Telephone: 434.525.9539; e-mail: info@tracs.org], having been awarded Accredited status as a Category II institution by the TRACS Accreditation Commission on October 27, 2020; this status is effective through June 30, 2026.

On October 21, 2025, the TRACS Accreditation Commission required Paine College to Show Cause as to why its accreditation should not be removed.

As a reminder, according to TRACS Policy BP211, a "Show Cause" sanction by the TRACS Accreditation Commission is a public action, which may not be appealed.

The Annual Operational Report (AOR) and the Annual Financial Report (AFR) must be completed in the TRACS Portal as part of PC's ongoing compliance.

Dr. Tanmay Pramanik, your TRACS Staff representative, will continue to work with PC to provide documentation of the institution's efforts to demonstrate compliance. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Pramanik or me directly at (434) 525-9539.

Sincerly,
Timothy W. Eaton, Ph.D. President
Posted on Portal: Compliance Report

Cc: Elizabeth Daggett, Accreditation Group Director, U.D. Department of Education
Michael Stein, Office of Postsecondary Education
Magda Rivers, Associate Executive Director-GNPEC
James Cheek, Director of Operations-GNPEC

 

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