6 Institutions Gain Initial DETC Accreditation

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by jek2839, Feb 5, 2010.

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  1. jek2839

    jek2839 New Member

    Six Institutions Gain Initial DETC Accreditation:

    http://www.detc.org/downloads/publications/No.%203%20-%20Report%20from%20the%20Accrediting%20Commission.pdf


    Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) Distance Education Center
    15250 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 200
    Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-3297
    Phone: 818-905-0040 or 800-446-2322; Fax: 818-788-6301
    Web Site: http://www.afaa.com; E-mail: [email protected]
    Ms. Linda Pfeffer, President
    Founded 1983. Offers courses for certified personal trainers and group exercise instructors as well as courses
    designed for those seeking specialized knowledge in related disciplines such as yoga, Pilates and resistance
    training.

    American Graduate School of Education
    7665 S. Research Drive
    Tempe, AZ 85284
    Phone: 480-557-7970; Fax: 480-557-7829
    Web Site: http://www.agse.us; E-mail: [email protected]
    Mr. Michael S. Turico, President
    Mr. Tim Moman, Vice President
    Founded 2003. Offers Master of Arts in Secondary Education and Master of Arts in Elementary Education.

    California Southern University

    930 Roosevelt
    Irvine, CA 92620
    Phone: 800-477-2254; Fax: 714-480-0834
    Web Site: http://www.calsouthern.edu; E-mail: [email protected]
    Dr. Caroll Ryan, Ph.D., President and Academic Officer
    Founded 1978. Offers Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies; Bachelor of Business Administration; Bachelor
    of Arts in Psychology; Master of Arts in Psychology; Master of Science in Psychology; Master of Business
    Administration; Master of Science in Law; Juris Doctor; Doctor of Business Administration (DBA); and
    Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.).

    Childcare Education Institute
    3059 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. N.W., Suite 100
    Duluth, GA 30097
    Phone: 770-564-9667 or 888-418-5358; Fax: 770-564-
    Web Site: 1008 http://www.cceionline.com; E-mail: [email protected]
    Ms. Maria C. Taylor, President/CEO
    Ms. Kimberle Collins, Director of Compliance
    Founded 2005. Offers online certificate programs and professional development courses for early childhood
    professionals in English and Spanish.

    Martinsburg Institute
    341 Aikens Center
    Martinsburg, WV 25404
    Phone: 304-263-6262
    Web Site: http://www.martinsburginstitute.com; E-mail: [email protected]
    Mr. Paul Viboch, President
    Ms. Stella Garlick, Vice President
    Founded 1980. Certificate courses in Business Communications; Computer Support Technology; Corporate
    Leadership; Corporate Team Building; Digital Technology Integration; Financial Management and
    DETC Bulletin Number 3, February 2, 2010 Page 3
    Accounting; Help Desk; Human Resources Management; Medical Billing and Coding; Multicultural
    Interaction, Communications, and Ethics; PC Advantage; Project Management; Smart Home Technology;
    Systems Administration; Systems Design; and Ultimate Sales Skills.

    New Learning Resources Online
    1417 Lelia Drive
    Jackson, MS 39216
    Phone: 601-982-8003
    Web Site: www.thenlronline.com; E-mail: [email protected]
    Dr. Nancy N. Boyll, President
    Founded 1992. Offers High School Diploma and Career Occupational Diploma.
     
  2. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    Interesting, thanks for posting this. (And, of course, only a day after I posted a thread calling out DETC for being slow to announce this ... :D)

    Also of interest is the list of first-time applicants:

    American Fitness Professionals and Associates, Manahawkin, NJ
    Antioch School of Church Planning and Leadership Development, Ames, IA
    Nations University, West Monroe, LA
    The Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, Freeland, WA
    Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary, Newburgh, IN
    UNAD Florida, Weston, FL
    University of Fairfax, Vienna, VA

    Trinity Newburgh is still on the list ... and is joined by Nations University, who have finally made their application with DETC official. Good to see, wonder if/when either of those will actually be accredited. (It will be a sad day for Trinity if Nations gets accredited and they don't ...)
     
  3. jek2839

    jek2839 New Member


    Yes, It would be a sad day for Trinity!
     
  4. cutedeedle

    cutedeedle I speak Geek. Will translate on request.

    Well that sure caught my eye -- it's just up the road from us, here in the wilds of Whidbey Island.
    :cool:
    Interesting ..... thanks for your post.
     
  5. telefax

    telefax Member

    Any Trinity Newburgh advocates care to share inside information? Still nothing on their website.
     
  6. andypicken2

    andypicken2 New Member

    wonder what the capital / finance situation of the above institutions is, and current student population
     
  7. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    It will be a REALLY sad day for DETC if either of these gets accredited.
     
  8. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    No, just a normal one. :(
     
  9. BrandeX

    BrandeX New Member

    Why is that? I am enrolled in Nations atm. IMho it is "harder"/more detailed than my PFC courses which are currently DETC.
     
  10. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I'd just disregard it.

    Hello BrandeX

    We've met before in another forum, I believe.

    Everybody is entitled to their opinion. And you and I (and everyone else) are entitled to disagree.

    There are some (senior) people in this forum who disagree with many/most accreditations that DETC grants. Twice a year, like clockwork, when DETC announces newly-accredited schools, one of these folks will post a short, civilized lament about it being "a sad day for DETC" and higher ed. in general. Others of that ilk will chime in and congratulate the original poster on his/her timely remarks.

    As far as Nations goes, many people have commented on its quality of education. "Tough as nails," some have said - and I believe it. I am in frequent e-mail correspondence with a couple of Nations students. Both are RA grads and say the rigor is equal to, or greater than that of their secular schools.

    Academically, Nations is the real deal; I've never read ANY competently-documented nay-saying on that score. I congratulate you on your choice. :)

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 31, 2010
  11. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Well stated Johann. Seemingly there is a pronounced bias toward the DETC and its accredited schools from some long-time, preferential posters, even though some will arbitrarily continue to deny their preconception while contradicting this via their own historical postings in an effort to support their claim/s of impartiality. There is undeniably not an unrestricted utility for NA degree holders; however, to mostly preclude DETC, its accreditation applicants, and accredited selections might be considered rather partisan.
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Please explain/support these two comments. "Bias"? As I understand the word, it means something like "....a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation." It doesn't mean "strongly disagree." It means someone cannot weigh the facts. Please provide any examples of actual "bias" by anyone who's criticized either DETC or the utility of the degrees its schools issue.

    The other word you use without support is "arbitrarily." Taken from "arbitrary," which means "....based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice; "an arbitrary decision." (Both taken from princeton.edu). Again, can you really demonstrate that someone has made comments against DETC in an arbitrary manner? I've seen a lot of real facts presented. I've also seen a lot of "arbitrary" defensiveness that demonstrated "bias." Invariably, these behaviors come from people who are connected to DETC-accredited schools.

    Your words. Please back them up or retract them.
     
  13. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Originally Posted by Chip
    "It will be a REALLY sad day for DETC if either of these gets accredited."

    Originally Posted by Rich Douglas
    "No, just a normal one."

    Perhaps we could begin with you explaining your ‘suggestion’ pertaining to this comment; it appears somewhat belittling toward DETC (?).

    You’ve chosen to omit this part of my posting … “There is undeniably not an unrestricted utility for NA degree holders; however, to mostly preclude DETC, its accreditation applicants, and accredited selections might be considered rather partisan.”

    Moreover, my degrees and academic work are all RA (e.g., Tarleton State, Prairie View A&M, Taylor Univ., Sam Houston State and the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College). I have no current or previous connection with DETC, any other national accreditation entity or national accredited school, college or university.

    Originally Posted by Rich Douglas
    “Invariably, these behaviors come from people who are connected to DETC-accredited schools.”

    In that I have no NA academic or private association, please provide what evidence your proffered ‘invariability’ and presumed relationship partiality behaviors has to do with MY posted observation.
     
  14. Chip

    Chip Administrator

    ... and so yet another thread degenrates into an unwinnable DETC vs RA argument.

    I'll state the degreeinfo "official" position on the issue, which has changed somewhat from when we started.

    When one is seeking a degree for any purpose, all other things being equal, it makes sense to get the degree that will provide the greatest utility and flexibility in terms of career growth, prerequisites for future educational endeavors, and the like. Without considering other issues (cost being most notable), there really can't be any plausible argument that RA undergrad degrees still have wider acceptance at the largest number of graduate schools when compared to DETC. Likewise, there are still some employers that specify RA degrees, and some types of licensure or programmatic accreditation (mostly professional) that require RA degrees. So when we're comparing similar degrees, I really can't see an argument, excluding cost, that a DETC degree has any advantages over RA, particularly at the undergrad level.

    Now... there's no question that, in part because DETC degrees are recognized by most as "second tier" to RA degrees, the cost of DETC degrees are generally lower than RA. And (assuming DETC doesn't go completely off the rails and accredit Clayton College or one of the other godawful schools that's recently applied) there's been a slow but encouraging growth of acceptance of DETC degrees by RA graduate schools,and some apparent increase in acceptability among business.

    So it's a decision that one must weigh. If the short-term cost savings of getting a DETC degree are so important that going the RA route is simply not feasible, then by all means, getting a DETC degree is a serviceable alternative. If one is absolutely, postively sure that one will never run into a situation with licensure, employer acceptability, largest options for graduate school, then, again, a DETC school could be a fine choice, particularly when there are some of the exceptional values that have been floating around, or as a terminal degree where employer acceptability or licensure is not an issue.

    Years ago, there were a bunch of unwonderful DETC-accredited schools (Penn-Foster was a prime example) with outdated curricula, and DETC made ssome absolutely terrible accreditation decisions. Very few, if any, RA schools accepted DETC degrees, and employer acceptance was also low. So back then, our official view was that we did not feel comfortable recommending or promoting DETC programs. But that's changing.

    I do think DETC degrees have their place. I also hear the argument that there are plenty of DETC schools with academically rigorous programs that likely rival the curricula of RA schools. So I definitely think it's possible to get just as good an education at one of the better DETC schools as one can get at an RA school. I should also add that the influx of for-profit RA programs has almost certainly resulted in lowered academic rigor at some of those institutions, and so I think it's quite possible that the best DETC schools are offering higher quality education than the worst RA schools.

    But I also believe that RA still offers a level of acceptability and flexibility, and universal recognition that DETC has not yet reached, and, for me, at least, the cost difference between an RA degree and a DETC degree would probably be something that I would pay, as an "insurance premium" of sorts, to ensure that the acceptability and utility of the degree I'm working on, and paying for, doesn't limit me in the future.

    For all those reasons, I think that, with the exceptions noted above, in most cases it makes more sense to choose RA schools over DETC.
     
  15. BrandeX

    BrandeX New Member

    So, the question remains as to why you think it is bad for DETC to accredit either of these schools? I am only familiar with NationsU as a student, but various changes have already been made during the app. procedure to improve the programs and make them in line presumably with DETC requirements.
     
  16. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    If you choose to opt out of "invariably," fine. But you do so anonymously, which is the same as not doing it.

    As for it being "normal" for DETC to accredit schools who have engaged in bad behavior, just look at the many examples discussed on this board and elsewere, not to mention their accreditation of schools who do not fall within their scope.

    Belittling? Certainly. Biased? Most certainly not. I've said a great many things positive about DETC over the years. But I'm willing to call them as they occur, not as I wish.
     
  17. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Hello, Dr. Douglas -

    Could I be wrong (again?) It really seems that you and some of your fellow senior contributors prefer to believe that "the leopard can never change its spots." :)

    Yes indeed. I remember when University of Atlanta attained DETC accreditation and the somewhat acerbic comments on the "sad day for DETC."

    University of Atlanta (Alabama at the time, now properly located in Georgia) is/was once a school with a pretty bad rep - Barrington U. Barrington was sold, re-branded and overhauled from stem to stern, with the specific ambition of attaining accreditation. The new school that arose from the ashes was Uni. of Atlanta. However, some in this forum (and at DD) could never let go of the Barrington image, no matter that every trace of the old school was gone.

    Same with Pacific Western - another bad school - California with a noxious Hawaii satellite. PWU was sold and re-branded as California Miramar U. This school attained DETC accreditation and all the PWU dirty laundry from years past was re-aired in these pages and on DD. Accreditation brought more remarks about a "sad day for DETC."

    The "usual suspects" - (if I may use that mildly humorous phrase - I mean no insult or harm) :) agreed - I think the late Uncle Janko referred to your message (in one of these two cases) as "a timely tocsin."

    To further illustrate my point (and I'll get to it - I promise) you recently referred to Frederick Taylor U. (unaccredited) as "a really terrible school" on DD. Indeed it was, fifteen or twenty years ago. I don't think it is now - and after reviewing the matter, you agreed with me - it seemed (and I believe it is) much improved.

    My point is: times (and schools) can change. What's going on in a school now may bear no resemblance to what happened there 10,15 or 20 years ago. If that's the last time you looked at the school -- time to get fresh info before summoning the ghosts without further ado, particularly on Accreditation Day.

    Cheers :)

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 1, 2010
  18. major56

    major56 Active Member

    So your specious comeback (whereas you illustrate your bias toward anonymous posters) is directed at my personal decision of anonymity (?). Who says there’s sanction to “But you do so anonymously, which is the same as not doing it” … you? You’re kidding right?

    In your decision to belittle /mock DETC, which you admit too, is in your view not a prejudicial leaning (?). I do consider you’ve assisted in making the point of the original poster’s (Johann) comment regarding posters who time and again engage in detrimental postings regarding DETC accreditation. I merely replied to the poster’s (Johann) observation/s that I have also witnessed this demeanor even though I have no leanings or connections toward any national accreditation agency or their recognized schools. Yet you deride my posting because I don’t use my real name. I believe the administrators leave this preference to the individual discussion board members.

    Nonetheless Rich, we all possess biases because we’re human and limitation is a large part of that. The bothersome point, though expected, is that so many reject owning up to imperfection, sometimes attempting to shield such characteristic through direct denial or predictable phraseology. And as I’m an anonymous poster, and per your improvised analogy, I could suppose I really didn’t write this nor have you established any reason/s for me to rescind my previous ‘unwritten’ observations. BTW, this dialogue was quite foreseeable. :cool:
     
  19. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I agree that bad schools can get better. CCU, for example, wasn't very stellar during its days as California Western University, but improved as CCU, then improved more to become DETC-accredited. Southwest University did not have a good reputation in California, but improved. But....

    DETC has accredited schools that behaved badly right up to the day they were accredited, including two that claimed fake accreditation the whole way. Not good.

    Yes, a leopard can change its spots. But can't DETC wait for awhile before accrediting it?
     
  20. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    No, it's not "prejudicial." I've been researching these topics for a very long time, and I have a Ph.D. specializing in this very subject. I'm not "prejudicial." If anything, I'm "judicial."

    If I ever say anything about DETC that isn't fact-based, feel free to point it out. Until then, that you don't like my posts is fine with me.
     

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