Bad day for Westbrook University

Holistic college in Weirton unlikely to get state approval

 

Whats happening to Westbrook uni?

I am unable to access the link as I need to register/become a member to read the online news article.

Thanks

Migara

 

Westbrook (from New Mexico) tried to get a license to operate in West Virginia. The license was denied by the WV Higher Education Policy Commission, whose director is quoted as saying "It is the unanimous conclusion of the review team and the HEPC staff that Westbrook University does not demonstrate that it could meet the standards and expectations of a regional accrediting body for an accredited institution.''

 

I like what West Virginia is doing. It allows an unaccredited school to apply to operate, but holds it to the same standards as accredited schools. This would allow an innovative, or nontraditional, or small school to operate--even one philosophically opposed to accreditation.

It is clear that New Mexico is about to shut the lid on Westbrook. According to media reports, Westbrook's license is about to expire in N.M. and won't be renewed because they're not accredited. What does that imply about Century?

Didn't Westbrook know the way to Mississippi? Why tangle with West Virginia? (West Virginia put AMU through some hoops when it relocated there.)

Reacting to the state's decision, the owner is quoted as saying, "To listen to this body, nothing we do is worth a crap,'' Gregg said. "I've made a substantial investment in West Virginia. I'm here to stay. The university will do whatever it takes.'' That can't help.

 

Westbrook's former "administration" (it was apparently sold in 2000, though the "founder" is still somewhat involved) has a long history of blustering. One of the founders filed a series of frivilous lawsuits against the legitimate naturopathic organization, trying to run them out of funds. Eventually, the system worked, and the legitimate organization won a judgement (as far as I know, it's been uncollectable) against him, which effectively shut him up.

My favorite part about Westbrook was when they sent me their admissions packet, which included letters from each of their two accreditors. One turned out to be located at the address of "Matt's Health Foods", owned by Norbert Matt, one of the administrators of Westbrook. The other one turned out to be the home address of one of the other administrators of Westbrook... and, mysteriously, these two accreditors, supposedly totally unrelated, used word-for-word identical language in their letters granting accreditation.

These folks have also (in concert with the unwonderful Clayton School) poured an enormous amount of money into lobbying against proper licensing laws for naturopathic physicians, and have succeeded in getting some terrible laws passed in a couple of states. Let's hope that this is the beginning of the end for unwonderful schools in the holistic health field.

The other fun thing I noticed is that their "accreditation" page is a veritable "Who's Who" of unwonderful accreditors... ditto with some of their "academic affiliations"

 

She's feeling much better now, thanks.

From a Westbrook "faculty" blurb:

"Ms. Black has spent 16 years in psychotherapy at the Pennsylvania State Hospital.
She now works in Managed care."

 

This is exactly what I have been traing to explain in the forum and sometimes not well understanding, due to my bad english. The GOVERNMENT and the LAW and not other has the responsability of taking care of schools. With this actuation the state government is protecting at the same time the interest of the schools that are no agree with agencies, most of the time for the incredible higt cost of the credentials, and the interest of the students that will be sure that their university is giving a good education. This resolution is 100% moral, legal, and put the things in the proper way, to be acredited is a voluntaree process of course, but now this is not excuse not to give quality in a education institution unacredited. It is not so dificult to understand, this is more close of the european educational system, it remains your liberty on education and at the same time give a way for quality with government supervision.