As Legislators Offer Support to Paul Quinn, Sorrell Vows, "We Are Going to Be Fine."

By Kimberly Thorpe Mon., Jul. 13 2009 at 5:13 PM

Categories: Edumication News

Kimberly Thorpe

Rep. Sylvester Turner offers his caucus's support of Paul Quinn, while president Michael Sorrell and state Rep. Dan Branch supported Turner. So, all were adequately supported.

More than two weeks after Southern Association of Colleges and Schools removed Paul Quinn College from its membership list by revoking its accreditation, the school now has the support of city and state political leaders who cheer its decision to appeal the move. So said members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, who held a Monday-afternoon press conference in the school's administrative building lobby.

"We have decided to make the Paul Quinn university a No. 1 priority for the state of Texas for us," said Rep. Sylvester Turner, Houston-based chair of the group that includes 14 House members, as well as state Senators Royce West and Rodney Ellis. Gathered in a line of support behind Turner stood Paul Quinn president Michael Sorrell, Rep. Dan Branch (chair of the House's Higher Education Committee), Raymund Paredes (the state's Commission of Higher Education), and state Rep. Helen Giddings, whose legislative district includes the college.

"Paul Quinn has a lot of support," said Turner, who announced that the caucus would be contacting all 100 or so prospective Paul Quinn students to encourage them to attend in the fall. Also, the caucus announced a fund-raising goal of $1.5 million by the end of August in the hopes of saving the 137-year-old institution.
Sorrell then took the podium to hearty applause from the audience, which included college staff and students.

"We do not accept SACS's opinion that we ran out of time," said Sorrell. "There is still time left on this clock. We are very, very optimistic about our appeal. Beyond the appeal, we are more optimistic about the friends and the commitments that we heard this morning. We are going to be fine. I would say that to the students that we have. I would say that to the 1,283 who applied to come to school here."

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A growing list of civic leaders are supporting Paul Quinn College's decision to appeal SACS' accreditation ruling. You can read a letter signed by Oncor CEO Bob Shapard and others, make a donation, upload a message of support, or join the Support Paul Quinn College group on Facebook at <a href="http://supportpqc.com">SupportPQC.com</a>
sinkhole: What is so sad to me is that some people do not understand that cities like Atlanta are succfessful because they embrace higher education. Atlanta has three (3) Historical Black Colleges. Dallas should be embracing all institutions of higher learning. We always talk about an educated workforce, but we are still struggling with making that happen. No one talks about the millions of our tax dollars that go to other colleges like Univ of Texas System and Texas A&M System each year. I am not against us investing in our future with any of the institutions. The facts are that many professional African Americans gradutate from Historical Black Instutions of higher learning. Be open minded and know that our tax dollars should go to educate all of our children and the saving Paul Quinn College is a win for Dallas. Stay focused, this is not about Don Hill. The courts will make a decision on Don Hill's fate.
There are students in SMU Grad and Law school who graduated from Paul Quinn. Some of those who finished SMU Law school are working in downtown Dallas today. Call SMU and check the facts dumb jokster.
Spellman received 20 million dollars from the Cosbys. Morehouse received 10 million over the years from Oprah. They also expanded their facilities with money from the Atlanta Olympics. Check your facts dumbhole.
Yeah Joyce, a mind is a terrible thing to waste, so these students need to transfer to real colleges and universities instead of the sham they are attending. By the way, Joyce, might want to leave marketing garbage from 30 years ago on the shelf. Definitely lame. Might want to ask where all your federal tax money went that was sent to Bishop and PQ. Oh, I forgot, those questions will never be asked because it might upset the same folks who are throwing a fit over letting don hill meet with consequences for bribe taking. HBC like Spellman and Morehouse serve a purpose. Their wantabe cousins here are nothing but sinkholes.
I'd be a lot more impressed if each one of the "supporters" had indicated how much of his/her money they'd donated to the cause. Talk's cheap. Show me the MONEY!! (And NOT taxpayer money, either!!)
Thanks Rep. Helen Giddings and the Texas Legislative Black Caucus for helping Paul Quinn College. We need the help in making sure that this college survives. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste".
If the dollar figures in the DMN are correct, Paul Quinn spends around $28,000 per student. The campus looks terrible, where does all this money go?
It's pretty ridiculous that this is a "top priority" for people whose job is to run the state. Paul Quinn is private and SACS is a private organization. The government doesn't really have any business or any right to use its influence in either case. When Texas Tech was in trouble, get involved. That is a public school. There isn't any reason to prop up a school that should otherwise go away. I know you can't say that in this case because you'll be called a "racist"; but private colleges do in fact go away all the time.
thanks for the early morning laugh, "rolls royce west," truer words were never spoken add bickel and brewer's intent to use their threats against SAC--like they've done on behalf of some of the worst disd administrators--that should be interesting-should SAC lower their standards for everyone so that every degree is meaningless, just like those from PQ? so we can assume more of our federal tax dollars will be flushed to support student grants at this exemplary institution--for students who are apparently incapable of doing real college work?
If you value the views of Jeremiah Alvesta Wright, Jr. (et al) then by all means support Paul Quinn. There is no better resource in Texas for the hate whitey intellectual left like Rolls Royce West.
one of these things is not like the others