By Peace Times Staff
William Peace University administrators announced Thursday afternoon that they are no longer interested in hosting the Wake County Public School System’s leadership academies on campus.
In an e-mail to students, faculty and staff, the University stated, “William Peace University has requested that the Wake County Public School System remove the university from consideration for the leadership academies due to the division and controversy on the Wake County Public School System board. We wish the Wake County Public School System the best as they continue to consider whether to move forward with the leadership academies.”
WCPSS responded to Peace’s statement with its own. “The Wake County Public School System and William Peace University have been unable to reach an agreement on the location of the early college portion of the Leadership Academies. We will continue discussions in the future at a time that works for both of us to determine what is in the best interest of both organizations and their students.”
In the fall semester, the University had submitted an application to the Department of Public Instruction to rent out space for the boys and girls leadership academies. The proposed plan was to offer six classrooms for the 100 ninth graders enrolled in the academies for the 2012-2013 school year. Each subsequent school year, an additional 100 students would join the academy.
According to the plan, the students would be taking classes in mobile classrooms on campus starting in the 2013-2014 school year.
Opponents of the plan expressed concern over taking away already-stretched-thin campus space and resources from University students and the possible negative effect on retention, among other issues.
Proponents of the plan said it would be a good source of revenue for the University, both in rent paid by WCPSS and tuition paid by leadership students who would eventually take college credits at Peace.