Proposed Wyoming legislation to reguire accreditation

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by galanga, Nov 20, 2004.

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  1. galanga

    galanga New Member

    State wants to shed bad image, Joan Barron, Casper, Wyoming Star-Tribune, November 19, 2004.
    There is a certain amount of opposition to the bill under consideration. For example, "Dr. Jerry Haenish, chancellor of Preston University and representing the Wyoming Private Schools Association, objected to the accreditation requirement, saying it would increase costs $10,000 to $100,000, which would be passed on to its foreign students."

    If you're curious, there is information about some of Preston's practices in this 2001 Chronicle of Higher Education story:
    I wonder if they'll actually pass the law, and also if they'll keep an eye on the grandfathered entities?

    G
     
  2. sgusom

    sgusom New Member

    Will there ever be a new school under this law

    Since ALL schools are initially unaccredited, HOW would any proposed new schools be allowed to open/operate?

    Even a State University or Community College would not be accredited for at least 2-3 years.
     
  3. galanga

    galanga New Member

    take a look at the code

    The laws are generally written so there is an initial period in which a new unaccredited school can operate, with a fixed time for it to obtain accreditation or else close. The extent to which its progress is monitored during its early stages probably varies considerably from state to state.

    G
     
  4. DaveHayden

    DaveHayden New Member

    LOL. I bet K-W is already looking at mail box drops in other States! :D :D :D
     
  5. oxpecker

    oxpecker New Member

    From the Star-Tribune article: "Private institutions already licensed will be grandfathered in."
     
  6. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    Sometimes I get the impression that the State of Wyoming and the state's questionable universities are co-conspirators.

    The state passed "strict" new regulations, except if you bothered to read them, they turned out to be a requirement that every Wyomng university have at least one employee physically in Wyoming.

    Now the state once again proposes to crack down on mills operating in Wyoming, and there will doubtless be great fanfare, but if all of the existing questionable schools are grandfathered in and exempted from the new requirements, once again the state really seems to just be giving them protective cover.
     
  7. Bill Huffman

    Bill Huffman Well-Known Member

    I would assume that most of the degree mills in Wyoming have "lobbyists". It has been reported that KWU hired a lobbyist. I would also assume that there's large donations made by most of the degree mills. It would seem to me that the existing degree mills would welcome stricter laws as long as they were exempt. It would mean less competition, a better name for Wyoming educational institutions, and more opportunity to deceive new victims with truth that is irrelevant to their own particular situation.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 21, 2004
  8. Randy Miller

    Randy Miller New Member

    You can be sure that this is a billl that Kennedy Western had a hand in writing.

    What better way to keep the competition out?
     
  9. galanga

    galanga New Member

    kind of like EduCause

    It's like the .edu domains, perhaps: it means something, sometimes, but sometimes it doesn't mean anything at all. But people think it does, anyway. It's also like things that are "electronically tested on our special machines" except for the ones that aren't, and leak.

    And how about that Alabama, eh?

    Are we surrounded by idiots?

    G
     
  10. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    According to the article cited at the beginning of this thread, the state intends to revoke the licenses of the 4 unaccredited schools operating there.

    The article also quotes a Kennedy-Western official:

    But David Gering, director of Corporate Communications for Kennedy-Western University, said later in a telephone interview that his institution is moving along in obtaining accreditation.

    "For 10 years, we've been lobbying in the state to raise the bar on universities operating in the state," Gering said.


    Yeah. Right. :rolleyes:
     
  11. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Something else: the representative from Preston decried the legislation requiring private schools to become accredited. He said that the costs of accreditation could range between 10K and 100K, and these costs would have to be passed on to students who couldn't afford it. This is bull.

    Accreditation does come with some costs attached to it. But even if Preston's figures were accurate, the cost should be no big deal. For one thing, financial stability and a future as a going concern is a big factor in accreditation. Certainly an substantial institution worthy of accreditation can pay its costs. Also, covering the additional costs of accreditation (again, using Preston's figures) should be no big deal either. Covering 100K in costs would mean enrolling another 20 or so students. Certainly that can be done.

    I'll buy these BS arguments when schools like Kennedy-Western and Preston open up their books. Until then, I think it is safe to say they earn millions per year, and the costs of accreditation would have negligible effect. Of course, the changes necessary for accreditation would have a profound effect--they would destroy shams like Kennedy-Western and Preston.
     
  12. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    While I believe that I understand the sentiments expressed by Randy, I also believe that authorship of bills is something eminently checkable. Can Randy prove his assertion? If not then it's best to keep these ideas to oneself.

    P.S. I also understand the frequent indirect nature of legislatural authorship. In short, follow the money. Despite all this I'd hesitate to say "You can be sure..." Does Randy have evidence?
    Interested.
    Jack
     
  13. plcscott

    plcscott New Member

    You have to admit the owners/management of these schools are not dumb. KWU even openly advertises on their site that they do lobby, and advocate their agenda to the legislature. I suspect the right people might be bought and paid for.

    KWU in Wyoming

    KWU also makes sure to be involved in special activities in Wyoming. I wonder how many of these events that KWU puts money into is some significant person's pet project?

    Corporate Citizenship
    Kennedy-Western University has long been a leading corporate citizen in the state of Wyoming. The following list summarizes the University’s corporate sponsorships.
    • Annual meetings of the Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG), with membership including chief legal officers from 15 western states including Wyoming, and an additional seven associate member states, each year since 1993;
    • National Association of Attorneys General’s Western Governors Land Conference held in Cheyenne, WY;
    Western Governors University Scholarship;
    • Wyoming Teacher of the Year awards, 1996 - 2004;
    • Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s ‘Race for the Cure’ in Cheyenne, WY, 1999 - 2004;
    • Past two Wyoming gubernatorial inauguration balls; and,
    • USS Wyoming christening (attended by KWU executives) and commissioning.
     
  14. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    It is amazing who will accept support without bothering to check from whom the support comes.

    Imagine how involved K-WU would be if they were actually IN WYOMING! :rolleyes:
     

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