Students, faculty sound the alarm on alleged Pfeiffer University leadership issues

Queen City News

Sydney Heiberger

September 29, 2023

MISENHEIMER, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant Inc. (ARC-PA) placed Pfeiffer University’s Physician Assistant program under accreditation probation in September 2022. Since then, a Queen City News investigation has uncovered a series of deep issues, rooted in personnel resignations, leadership concerns, and a Title IX investigation.

According to a university spokesperson, at least eight faculty members have resigned since August 2022. Four of those resignations happened simultaneously on Sept. 14.

A MASS EXODUS

Queen City News first received a phone call from a concerned parent detailing the faculty resignations and wondering how it may affect the university’s accreditation review.

According to various faculty testimonies, most of these resignations occurred due to a concern over the PA school’s new leadership, specifically the new program director, Dr. Scott Fisher.

Fisher joined the program in May 2022, reportedly to help get the program back on track for its next accreditation review.

“They expressed these concerns time and time again, and no one really wanted to listen,” said a current student who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. “We were actually told that our faculty left to return to clinical practice, which is not true. And when we specifically asked, ‘What’s the real reason four people left that day?’ we were met with a little bit of discontent.”

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