How long is "start-up"? (Rich Douglas?)

How long a period is reasonable to allot to a school as a "start-up" phase? What characterizes start-up, and how can we tell when it's over?

 

The minute I wrote this about CCU I knew I was on unsteady ground. Excellent question.

I don't have an exact answer. CCU has gone almost 30 years before doing so, and then dropped their doctoral programs to do it. DETC accreditation has been available to them since the mid-80's. I think that is beyond what a reasonable person would term "start-up."

I have taught for Virginia International University. It started operations in--I believe--1998. I began teaching classes for them in Fall, 2001. They have yet to make formal application for accreditation. They have, however, engaged both SACS and ACICS regarding accreditation. I think they'll pursue ACICS initially. But I don't know for sure. I don't teach for them anymore, and my consultations with them have come to an end. The relationship remains open, however, for me to return as a consultant. I dont' expect to teach for them again until they are accredited--they've been in business long enough to make that a reasonable expectation.

How long? I don't know. But CCU operated for more than a decade after DETC accreditation was available to them. That seems beyond "start-up." VIU has operated (on a much smaller scale--fewer than 100 students in degree programs) for 6. It is time for VIU to move on--I think the "start-up" label is wearing thin for them. They need to apply for and achieve recognized accreditation. I hope they do.

 

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

DETC requires an institution to have been in operation (actually teaching students) for two years before an application can be made.

 

If CCU doesn't receive DETC accreditation in 2004, it's probably unlikely that they will receive accreditation status in 2005. Sort of like sitting by the side of the freeway with a flat tire while waiting for a tow truck. How many hours or days do you sit in your car hoping for someone to stop and help?
If a school doesn't apply for candidacy status after six or seven years of operation, is that a sign that there's something wrong?

 

Here's probably the ideal minimal case.

The Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences. This was founded in 1997. They promptly got a single masters program CA-approved and recently unveiled a Ph.D. program (not yet CA-approved). Despite this short history, KGI has an active research program: http://www.kgi.edu/research/patents.shtml They announced their new journal 'Current Proteomics' this month: http://www.bentham.org/cp/index2.htm Though they don't yet appear on the list of WASC candidates, KGI entertained a WASC site visit on Oct 15-17, 2003.

I'd say that KGI has more built-in advantages than the vast majority of new schools. They are funded by the deep-pockets Keck Foundation and are the newest member of the Claremont Consortium. In this case, the gap between foundation and first site visit was 6 years. I'd expect candidacy this year. If so, it would be 7 years from opening to candidacy.

Here's a more typical example.

Hsi Lai University was founded in 1991. I assume they promptly got the necessary CA-approval. They purchased their present campus (from the Methodists I believe) in 1996. Fulltime-equivalent enrollment rose to about 330 and they became a candidate for regional accreditation in 2002. Since candidacy requires submission of self-studies and a site visit, I assume that HLU and WASC were communicating a couple of years prior to that.

So in this case, the gap between founding and candidacy was 11 years.

 

CCU? What university is this?

 

California Coast University

http://www.calcoast.edu

 

The Keck institute and Cal State U. Monterey Bay are definately two examples of universities with ideal conditions to become RA in the minimum time possible.

Tony

 

Southern Virginia University is an interesting case in point. The school closed down in 1996 and was reorganized under new ownership. After a few years of rebuilding from a two year womens' college to a four-year co-ed liberal arts school, they applied for and received national accreditation from the American Academy of Liberal Education. They are now pursuing accreditation from the Southern Association of Schools & Colleges. Apparently their biggest challenge is reaching a certain financial level required by SACS--SVU is pretty tiny (only about 500-600 students).

Tony Pina
Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino

 

Cal StateChannel Islands is another one.

However the new Cal State schools provided credits through (or jointly with) other Cal State schools while waiting for accreditation.

 

I live in the immediate vicinity of CSU Channel Islands. CSU Northridge provided services in Ventura County through centers for many years, and they are the supervising campus for Channel Islands. I heard that CSU Channel Island will not be accredited in its own right until the first four year class graduates. Does that sound correct? Ternahan