🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. Don’t call it a comeback. Okay, call it a comeback. Guilford College announced Tuesday it has retained its accreditation after two years of probation over financial issues.
2. On Background: Guilford College’s Fight for Accreditation
3. What We’re Reading

Guilford College Off Probation, Retaining Accreditation

Guilford College can breathe a sigh of relief.

The Greensboro liberal arts college is back in good standing with its accreditor after two years of probation over financial issues, Guilford President Jean Bordewich announced Tuesday. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees made the decision at its annual meeting, held December 6-9 in Nashville.

“We did it!” Guilford President Jean Bordewich announced to cheers on Tuesday at a small press conference and celebration on campus at Founders Hall.

Guilford has struggled financially for years, its enrollment dropping by at least 40% over the past eight years. For much of that time, Guilford didn’t adjust its expenses to offset the decreased revenue. The college also let millions of dollars in tuition go uncollected since the COVID-19 pandemic and had operated at a loss of about $2.4 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year alone.

In the end, the college was successful.

Read the story here.

— Joe Killian

Thanks for reading The Thread, a 3x week newsletter written by Greensboro editor Joe Killian and reporters Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. Reach us with tips or ideas at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

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On Background

Guilford College Appoints Jean Parvin Bordewich as President

Boderwich’s appointment comes after years of financial uncertainty and cost-cutting at the private Quaker institution.

Guilford College Raised $6 Million. It May Not Be Enough.

The school exceeded its fundraising goal, but declining enrollment means it still hasn’t met its […]

Guilford College Considers Formal Step Toward Possible Faculty Layoffs

‘Without significant changes to our financial model, we simply do not have the cash flow […]

Guilford College Debates How ‘Quakerly’ It Should Be

Amid its second financial crisis in five years, Guilford College faculty hatched a radical plan […]

What We’re Reading

Going Public: The Greensboro Police Department released body camera footage on Monday of a controversial Nov. 3 arrest. Bystander footage of the arrest went viral online, prompting the department to ask a judge to approve the release of the bodycam footage. The Greensboro City Council viewed it in closed session this week before the department released nine separate bodycam videos on its YouTube page. Fox8 has more.

Highest Bidder: Guilford College has sold a large portion of its art gallery to aid fundraising efforts for the school, which has come under financial pressure amid accreditation troubles. Triad Business Journal has the story.

Stepping Aside: A Guilford County commissioner announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026. Frankie Jones has held the District 7 seat since 2022. As The News & Record reports, the move creates a second open seat on the nine-member council.

Joe Killian is The Assembly's Greensboro editor. He joined us from NC Newsline, where he was senior investigative reporter. He spent a decade at The News & Record covering cops and courts, higher education, and government.

Korie Dean is a higher education reporter for The Assembly and co-anchor of our weekly higher education newsletter, The Quad. She previously worked at The News & Observer, where she covered higher ed as part of the state government and politics team. She grew up in Efland and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill.