The School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute again reached out to Missouri State University for possible merger talks, but MSU declined the offer.

The two schools had discussed a merger in 2012 but could not reach agreement.

But about three months ago, MSU was again approached by Forest to talk about a merger or cooperative arrangement regarding Forest's doctoral degree program in professional practice, said MSU President Clif Smart.

"We told them we are not interested at this point," Smart said. "There are no ongoing discussions."

In July 2013, Forest was acquired by Burrell Behavioral Health. As part of that agreement Burrell has two appointments on Forest's 11-person board of trustees.

The News-Leader has been reaching out to officials at Forest or associated with the institute to try to learn more about the school's future, in part because of calls from readers who have heard that the school might be closing. On Wednesday a current student told the News-Leader that Forest administrators and staff have been meeting weekly with students to discuss the school's future. One option mentioned, she said, was the school's possible closure next month.

Forest board chairman Kent Ragan said Wednesday there are no plans to close the small, independent nonprofit school in the near future. He said he is unaware of any on-campus discussions by faculty and administrators with students about the possibility of Forest closing in the near future.

"I can't even imagine the administration or faculty discussing that — even with a lot of ideas being discussed," Ragan said. "The board has not really considered closing the campus after the fall semester."

Tiffany Moore, 27, who in August enrolled at Forest's master's of arts in counseling psychology program, told the News-Leader Wednesday that faculty and administrators at Forest have been meeting with students about the school's future.

Moore said there have been 4 p.m. meetings on three consecutive Tuesdays at the school and that she attended the one on Nov. 11.

She said Acting President Gerald Porter was at the meeting and that the message was that Forest was considering options because of a lack of "liquid assets." One of those options, she said, was closing the Springfield campus on Dec. 18.

Moore said administrators were vague when asked about what would happen to current students.

"The only thing we were told is that we just don't know yet," she said. Moore is in an academic cohort with seven other students, meaning they would proceed together through their program.

"It has been really difficult," she said. "On the one hand, Dr. Porter and Dr. Weaver say that 'you need to make decisions that are best for you,' but there is no real focus on the master's program," she said. (Megan Weaver is an assistant professor at Forest and dean of the master's programs.)

Perhaps, Ragan said, the facts have been garbled. He said Forest sent a request to the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits the school, on Monday. That request seeks permission to shut down Forest's small St. Louis operation in a "teach out" where future enrollment would be ended and current students would be able to complete their degree program.

"We want to wind down in St. Louis — within the rules of the Higher Learning Commission," Ragan said.

Ragan would not comment on why Mark Skrade is no longer president at Forest, a post he held for 14 years until Porter was appointed Oct. 31.

Skrade has not returned calls requesting comment and earlier this week Porter would not comment.

Ragan said Forest is continuing to recruit and admit students for the January semester.

Moore, the student, said administrators at the Nov. 11 meeting outlined several possibilities for Forest's future, including having Burrell take over Forest's assets with Forest still overseeing operations and programs, as well as the option of Burrell taking over Forest's assets and taking over operations and programs.

Ragan dismissed both options. He said, first, Burrell already has a deed of trust on Forest's property, which includes its 58-acre main campus at 2885 W. Battlefield Road and the Robert J. Murney Clinic at 1322 S. Campbell Ave., a community mental health clinic. The main campus has student-housing buildings.

When Burrell acquired Forest as an independent subsidiary, Ragan said, it paid off Forest's debt and as a result has a deed of trust in which Forest's property is the collateral.

According to Ragan, Burrell cannot take over operations and programming at Forest without approval from the Higher Learning Commission. Forest has no plans to ask the commission for approval to do so, he said.

Ragan was asked why administrators and faculty were meeting with students if all the options mentioned by Moore as being discussed are unworkable or — in the case of MSU — have been rejected.

He said he was unaware there had been any meetings.

Todd Schaible is president of Burrell and sits on the board of the Forest Institute.

He declined comment about Forest other than to point out two errors in a story about Forest that ran in the News-Leader on Tuesday.

He said Burrell acquired Forest and did not "merge" with it. He also said Burrell is no longer affiliated with Cox Health. The story stated that it was still affiliated.

He told a reporter to wait until a decision has been made about Forest to get the story correct.

Schaible would not comment on whether a meeting between the Forest and Burrell boards was slated for Tuesday, Nov. 25.

"I do think you are making a lot assumptions," he told a reporter. "I think you are making a very serious mistake."

Schaible said he did not want to be quoted saying anything — other than that he informed the reporter of two mistakes.

Forest was founded in 1979 in Illinois. It provides interns at the Murney Clinic and at the Greene County Jail.

According to the College Navigator website, Forest enrolls about 254 students in degree programs that include a master's degree; a post-master's certificate; and a doctoral degree in professional practice.