LIU drawing 320

VIN News Service screenshot

An undated brochure about plans for LIU Post's veterinary college includes this illustration of "building A," a 47,000-square-foot facility to be completed in 2020. LIU is selling the naming rights of the veterinary college for $30 million.

Fewer than seven weeks before the start of the fall term at Long Island University Post, the institution lacks an accreditation document it needs for its proposed new veterinary school.

The university has projected admitting an inaugural class of 100 veterinary students by September. Multiple signs point to a delay; however, LIU officials have not confirmed it. 

"LIU is presently engaged in the AVMA [American Veterinary Medical Association] accreditation process, and we have no further comment or updates to provide at this time," Jon Schneider, LIU's public relations consultant, said by email Thursday. 

LIU Post seeks reasonable assurance, which is a first step toward accreditation by the AVMA Council on Education. Reasonable assurance indicates that a college is on the right path to accreditation, may begin enrolling students and provide them with access to government loans under Title VII of the U.S. Public Health Service Act.

A COE site team visited the LIU veterinary college in August 2018, and its findings were reviewed by the COE the following March. The COE did not grant reasonable assurance to LIU during its spring meeting, judging from COE reports for March and May. However, that doesn't mean LIU has lost its bid for reasonable assurance. According to COE policies and procedures, "If the Council notes deficiencies that may result in an adverse accreditation action, the Council will defer the accreditation action and will provide the college an opportunity to respond in writing ..." Details about COE interactions with accreditation applicants are confidential.

"The report of the site team is still under review by the council …" AVMA spokesperson Sharon Granskog confirmed by email Thursday. She noted that any decision by the COE will be publicly announced within 30 days of the decision. The COE's next scheduled meeting is in September.

Faculty sources at LIU report that ground has not broken on construction of the program's 47,000-square-foot complex. To make room for the program's personnel, College of Management faculty were relocated last year to vacant dorm space. The program now has 27 faculty and staff listed in the campus directory. 

LIU is one of three universities seeking to establish a new veterinary school. The others are the University of Arizona and Texas Tech University. There are 30 accredited veterinary schools in the United States.