The institution initially operated in Louisiana under a provision of state law that exempted tax-exempt nonprofit entities from licensing requirements.
[8] Columbus has been accredited by the World Association of Universities and Colleges (WAUC), although this body is not recognized by the United States Department of Education.
In 2003 and 2004, U.S. news media reported that Charles Abell, an Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Defense, listed a master's degree from Columbus University in his official biography[10] and his Senate confirmation statement.
[13] Abell continued in his Defense Department job until August 2005, when he joined the staff of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, where he remained until 2007.
[14] In testimony before the House Oversight Committee relating to the Mitchell Report and Roger Clemens, personal trainer Brian McNamee confirmed that his Ph.D. in behavioral sciences was from Columbus University.