Morris Brown College loses accreditation

ATLANTA - Morris Brown College, a historically black school that is more than $23 million in debt, learned Tuesday that it will lose its accreditation. <br> <br> It&#39;s a devastating blow that will strip the school of the federal financial aid most students depend on to help pay their tuition. <br> <br> Eighty percent of the school&#39;s 2,500 students receive financial aid from the federal government, which gives Morris Brown $8 million a year. <br> <br> The 117-year-old historically black school has been dealing with mounting financial debt and federal scrutiny for more than a year and had hopes that it was finally on the right track. <br> <br> Morris Brown&#39;s accrediting agency, the Decatur-based Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, clearly disagreed. <br> <br> The agency&#39;s commission, made of 77 high-ranking officials mostly college presidents and chancellors yanked the school&#39;s accreditation Monday, during a national meeting in San Antonio. <br> <br> College president Charles Taylor announced the decision at a campuswide meeting with students and faculty Tuesday afternoon. <br> <br> Taylor said the college will appeal the decision, but that process could take several months. He said the college is committed to staying open.