Latest news with #Keystone
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Keystone College completes merger with Washington, D.C., nonprofit
Keystone College officially merged with a nonprofit aimed at boosting higher education, a move officials at the financially struggling institution touted as a positive development. College officials announced Monday the merger transaction with the Washington Institute for Education and Research, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit formed to further and support higher education. The merger was completed Friday afternoon, officials said in a news release issued Monday. Under it, Keystone continues operations under its current name and educational mission. Keystone College, in Factoryville, will host the Think Spring gardening seminar on April 26. 'I am pleased to report that the merger transaction between Keystone and WIER was concluded on Friday, May 30, finally joining the College with its strategic partner after nearly a three-year journey that at times threatened the future of the College,' college President John Pullo said in a message to the college's trustees and campus community. 'The fact that we can make this announcement today is a testament to the remarkable commitment and trust that WIER, especially Dr. Ahmed Alwani, placed in Keystone and to the perseverance, courage, and resilience of the extraordinary group of individuals on the Keystone team who fought through the adversity and took respite in the positive developments as things began to turn our way.' The Middle States Commission on Higher Education reviewed and approved Keystone's complex substantive change request Thursday. It included the merger, as well as a change in its legal status, form of control and ownership within the college's scope of accreditation, all of which took effect Friday. Prior to the announcement from Middle States, Keystone secured approvals from its regulatory agencies, including the state Department of Education, the state attorney general's office and the United States Department of Education. Among the final pieces of the transaction was the merger of Keystone College Inc. into Keystone College LLC, with WIER as the sole member, according to officials. The college in La Plume Twp. in Lackawanna County and Factoryville in Wyoming County had said it would continue to be accredited once the merger was finalized. Keystone is required to work closely with Middle States on several milestones and reviews as part of its continued accreditation, officials said in Monday's news release. Keystone representatives worked for more than a year on an agreement with WIER, founded in 2023 by Alwani for the purpose of funding, promoting and supporting postsecondary education. In March 2024, Keystone and WIER mutually agreed to discontinue previous arrangements for a potential alliance, but in August, WIER inked a deal to merge with Keystone. Alwani expressed his elation about the merger in the news release. 'I am delighted and grateful to the entire Keystone team that we have finally reached this point,' he said. 'When I was first introduced to Keystone, I realized that it was a special place with a rich history in serving students for whom a college education changes their entire family's trajectory. While we are dedicated to enhancing that mission, we are equally driven to being innovative with respect to the educational opportunities needed for today's students in all areas, including online, international, and certifications.' The announcement is the latest positive development for Keystone. In late February, commission officials said they received financial information they had been looking for, including a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the college's new ownership structure request, none of which was available when the commission notified the college in November that its accreditation was being withdrawn. The commission formally accepted Keystone's appeal in December, and the college won't appeal the commission's action. As a result, the commission changed the college's status from 'accreditation withdrawn under appeal' to 'non-compliance show cause.' The college is required to demonstrate by Sept. 2 why its accreditation should not be withdrawn. In addition, the commission stated the college isn't required to implement a teach-out plan, and the U.S. Department of Education removed the college from 'heightened cash monitoring' status. The positive news came after a difficult time for the college last year. In April 2024, the commission ordered the college to prepare a teach-out plan that would allow students to complete their education elsewhere in the event of a closure. College officials also cut positions and placed an administrator on leave. College officials praised the merger in Monday's news release while acknowledging the work ahead. 'As we have stated many times throughout this process, the commitment to saving and rebuilding a college is exhaustive and must be done deliberately,' Tim Pryle, the college's vice president of enrollment, institutional advancement and marketing, said in the release. 'This is a milestone moment worthy of celebration. However, we are all well aware of the task at hand. And that task includes reestablishing confidence in Keystone College and in sharing with prospective students and their families the unique value proposition that Keystone offers for a quality, private, liberal arts-based education at an affordable investment within today's ultra competitive higher education market.' Pullo said in the release that in addition to Alwani and WIER, he is 'sincerely grateful for the community's continued support for Keystone.' 'We still have much to do, but for today, we can all celebrate that the College will continue not only serving its vital educational mission, but also preserve its profound cultural and economic impact in the community and the region as we build upon our 157-year legacy,' he said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Middle States to approve Keystone College's request to merge with nonprofit
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accepted Keystone College's request to merge with a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, which an official of the financially struggling institution called 'an important piece of the process.' The commission acknowledged it received the 156-year old college's complex substantive change request Thursday. The request includes the college's merger with the Washington Institute for Education and Research, or WIER, as well as a change in its legal status, form of control and ownership within the college's scope of accreditation. The changes were effective Friday. Commission officials noted Thursday that the state Department of Education provided written evidence of required approvals. The college in La Plume Twp. in Lackawanna County and Factoryville in Wyoming County will remain accredited following the merger. Keystone officials have been working for more than a year on an agreement with WIER, founded in 2023 by Ahmed Alwani for the purpose of funding, promoting and supporting postsecondary education. In March 2024, Keystone and WIER mutually agreed to discontinue previous arrangements for a potential alliance. But in August, WIER inked a deal to merge with Keystone after several months of negotiations. The agreement will merge the college's operations under a subsidiary of WIER while allowing Keystone to continue operations under its current educational mission. As part of the change, the commission is requiring officials to provide the following information by Sept. 2: • The updated status of the complex substantive change. • Written evidence of review, including approval of the transaction from all outstanding required licensing, regulatory or other legal entities, including the state attorney general and the United States Department of Education. • Evidence of a comprehensive financial planning process, multiyear budget, annual independent audit verifying financial viability and internal controls, and documented funding base adequate to support the educational purposes and ensure financial stability, including a financial development plan and resources from any related entities. • Planning that integrates goals for institutional effectiveness and improvement, including overall institutional improvement and the results of institutional assessments as related to the complex substantive change transaction and efforts to expand international recruitment. • An update on the status of recruiting and hiring a qualified chief financial officer. • Evidence of the status of the institution's membership in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and compliance with all membership requirements. • Evidence of the implementation of a written conflict-of-interest policy. • A clearly articulated and transparent governance structure that outlines roles, responsibilities and accountability for inclusive decision making by each constituency, including the institution's legally constituted governing body and any related entities, including any updates to the college's Guide to Governance and Policy. Thursday's announcement is the latest positive development for Keystone. In late February, commission officials said they received financial information they had been looking for, including a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the college's new ownership structure request, none of which was available when the commission notified the college in November that its accreditation was being withdrawn. The commission formally accepted Keystone's appeal in December, and the college won't appeal the commission's action. As a result, the commission changed the college's status from 'accreditation withdrawn under appeal' to 'non-compliance show cause.' The positive news came after a difficult time for the college last year. In April 2024, the commission ordered the college to prepare a teach-out plan that would allow students to complete their education elsewhere in the event of a closure. College officials also cut 29 positions and placed an administrator on leave. 'Keystone is very grateful for this latest action by Middle States as it is another important piece of the process that we have been discussing with respect to the merger with Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER) and the future of Keystone College,' Tim Pryle, Keystone's vice president of enrollment, institutional advancement and marketing, said in an email Friday. The commission will conduct a complex substantive change site visit within no more than six months, and at the same time as a visit showing why Keystone's accreditation shouldn't be withdrawn. Its announcement noted the commission reserves the right to rescind the action if additional information is revealed that might affect its decision or if the change isn't implemented within a year. In addition, the commission stated the college isn't required to implement a teach-out plan, and the U.S. Department of Education removed the college from 'heightened cash monitoring' status. The college is required to demonstrate by Sept. 2 why its accreditation should not be withdrawn.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Cardinal Mooney claims first District Title since 2013
MENTOR, Ohio (WKBN) – Cardinal Mooney rolled past Keystone 9-0 in the Division V Baseball District Championship at Mentor High School. It is the Cardinals' first District Championship since 2013. Ford Stacy went 3-4 with 4 RBI in the win for the Cardinals. He also pitched a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts in the victory. Will Petty also drove in a pair of runs on two hits. Ryan Reese and Andrew Bushey each tallied three hits and an RBI for Mooney. With the win, Cardinal Mooney improves to 19-6 overall on the season. The Cardinals advance to face Apple Creek Waynedale on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Carl 'Ducky' Schroeder Field in Massillon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Wall Street Journal
4 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Trump: China 'Has Totally Violated Its Agreement With Us'
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with Chinese officials in Geneva earlier this month. (Keystone/EDA/Martial Trezzini/Reuters)
Toronto Sun
5 days ago
- Climate
- Toronto Sun
Man missing after glacier collapse buries Swiss Alpine village
Published May 29, 2025 • 1 minute read A large avalanche with a mixture of ice, rock, snow and water reach the valley floor is pictured in Wiler after the Birch glacier collapsing above Blatten, Switzerland, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Photo by Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP / AP GENEVA — A 64-year-old man remained missing Thursday after a huge mass of rock and ice from a glacier crashed down a Swiss mountainside the day before. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The landslide sent plumes of dust skyward and coated with mud nearly all of an Alpine village that authorities had evacuated earlier this month as a precaution. State Councilor Stephane Ganzer told Radio Television Suisse that 90% of the village was destroyed. The Cantonal Police of Valais said that a search and rescue operation was underway for the man, whose name wasn't made public, and it involved a drone with a thermal camera. The regional government said in a statement that a large chunk of the Birch Glacier above the village had broken off, causing the landslide, which also buried the nearby Lonza River bed, raising the possibility of dammed water flows. Video on social media and Swiss television showed that the mudslide near Blatten, in the southern Lötschental valley, partially submerged homes and other buildings under a mass of brownish sludge. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 🔴 Toujours à #Blatten [CH] en #Suisse , de très grandes quantités d'eau s'accumulent derrière les millions de mètres cubes de "roche" ⚠️ Les villages en contrebas craignent un raz-de-marée imminent… (via ©Pomona) — Météo Franc-Comtoise (@MeteoFrComtoise) May 28, 2025 In recent days, authorities had ordered the evacuation of about 300 people, as well as all livestock, from the village amid fears that the 1.5 million-cubic metre (52 million-cubic foot) glacier was at risk of collapse. Swiss glaciologists have repeatedly expressed concerns about a thaw in recent years — attributed in large part to global warming _ that has accelerated the retreat of glaciers in Switzerland. The landlocked Alpine country has the most glaciers of any country in Europe, and saw 4% of its total glacier volume disappear in 2023. That was the second-biggest decline in a single year after a 6% drop in 2022. Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Tennis NFL
