SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Baking Institute (S.F.B.I.) has been informed by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (B.P.P.E.) that it must cease and desist operations after the latter organization determined that the S.F.B.I.’s program was not approved as a post-secondary educational institution.

The S.F.B.I. has submitted its license renewal application in its entirety, including all the fees required, in an effort to continue operating, but it has been told by the B.P.P.E. that the review process may take more than 2 or 3 months to complete.

“Sadly, we will be unable to survive the financial strain such a period would impose upon our very small organization,” the S.F.B.I. said in a Dec. 27 letter to its members.

Founded in 1996, the S.F.B.I. is a small, family-owned and operated school whose goal is to promote and elevate the traditions of artisan baking. The institute’s alumni include thousands of professionals.

In an effort to convince the B.P.P.E. to allow it to stay open while the application is pending review, the S.F.B.I. has initiated a petition on Change.org. The institute plans to submit the petition to the B.P.P.E. on Dec. 31.