BCC Puts One-Year Hiatus On New Nursing Students

Berkshire Community College has decided not to enroll more two-year nursing students while accreditation for the associate's degree program remains on hold.

The Berkshire Eagle  reports the decision comes as the college awaits official word from national accreditors about the program's fate and as state regulators remain dissatisfied the program's progress.

The college plans to admit its next round of two-year students in fall of 2020, leaders said in a press release Wednesday morning. Students already enrolled in the two-year program will not be affected.

The national accreditation agency ACEN and the state regulatory authority, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, launched separate reviews of BCC's nursing program last year, both calling on the college to keep better track of student outcomes.

ACEN was slated to announce its accreditation decision this month — the national board could decide to deny the program's accreditation outright, to extend its conditional status for another year or upgrade its status to full accreditation if it finds no further issues.