One's loss is other's gain. The misfortunes of Mountain State University's seem to have presented an unlikely opportunity to the folks at Shepherd University.

Shepherd University officials are reportedly eyeing MSU's buildings to accommodate a new Martinsburg satellite campus.

During a speech in April, Shepherd University President Suzanne Shipley spoke of a goal to establish four-year degree programs in education, business administration and nursing for part-time, non-traditional students in Martinsburg, W.Va., by the fall of 2013.

But thanks to the accreditation crisis befalling Mountain State University, Shepherd could open a Martinsburg satellite campus as early as January.

Shepherd officials are taking a hard look at buying or leasing Mountain State University's classroom and administrative facility in the converted former Tanger Outlet mall building at 214 Viking Way, Shepherd University spokeswoman Valerie Owens said this week.

Shipley has reportedly met with Mountain State officials about the Viking Way campus, reports Herald-Mail.

"It's already set up for classroom and administrative office space," Owens said. "It's good to go. We could start (classes) in January."

Owens also added that Viking Way is just off Interstate 81, which would provide convenient access to a Martinsburg campus for students from Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Shipley said in April that Shepherd is at capacity. "We are experiencing crowding in areas like parking and office space, sometimes classroom space," she said.

Older, working adult, part-time students seeking four-year bachelor's and master's degrees would be attracted to a Martinsburg campus, since they don't require the facilities and services of Shepherd's main campus, she said at the time.

Mountain State also has satellite campuses in Pennsylvania, Florida and North Carolina.

Mountain State University's fate is uncertain since the Higher Learning Commission decided to withdraw its accreditation in July for failure to meet the HLC's criteria for leadership, resources, planning and oversight. The university based in Beckley, W.Va has filed an appeal.

A week back, the MSU announced its intention to sell the 555,000-sq.foot mall in Martinsburg.