Tuskegee University is entering a significant legal battle to maintain the accreditation of its historic College of Veterinary Medicine. The university has submitted two federal lawsuits against the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), seeking to prevent the veterinary school's accreditation from being stripped, according to records obtained by Al.com.
In its complaint, Tuskegee alleges that its due process has been violated by the AVMA, claiming the association limited the institution's ability to appeal the initial accreditation decision. Records obtained by Al.com indicate the AVMA has placed Tuskegee's program on probation since 2022 due to alleged financial discrepancies.
Tuskegee University's College of Veterinary Medicine holds singular significance in the United States: it is currently the only HBCU veterinary school in the nation. Since its founding in 1945, the college has achieved a major milestone, graduating over 70% of all Black veterinarians practicing in the United States.
The accreditation decision has mobilized a bipartisan coalition of support for the university. Several prominent political figures have voiced their concern, including Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, and House Representatives Terri Sewell, Shomari Figures, and Mike Rogers. These congressional members wrote a letter to Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon expressing concern over the AVMA's decision regarding Tuskegee's accreditation status.
“As members of Alabama’s congressional delegation, we write to express concerns regarding the recent accreditation review of Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TU-CVM) by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE),” the lawmakers said per Al.com
An appeal hearing is set for December 5th.
