University of the People now DETC accredited?

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by me again, Sep 2, 2014.

Loading...
  1. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    The website of the University of the People says that it is now DETC accredited:
    Accreditation

    They charge no tuition, except for an exam fee at the end of each course. They currently offer Associates and Bachelors degrees in business administration and IT. You can read all about it in their catalog:
    http://uopeople.edu/files/Pdf/university_catalog.pdf

    It appears that the founder and president (Shai Reshef) intends to grant the underprivileged and disadvantaged the opportunity to get an education and, in doing so, will (in his words) turn the entire educational model upside down. You can hear him in an impressive speech here:

    Shai Reshef: An ultra-low-cost college degree - YouTube

    Reshef hired someone to navigate the DETC accreditation process. It appears that their next pursuit will be regional accreditation which again, if achieved, will turn the entire educational model upside down (go back and listen to him speak at 10:22 to hear him say this).

    Here is a Wikipedia brief on Shai Reshef:
    Shai Reshef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The University of the People (aka UoPeople) is also accepting volunteers:
    Volunteer with University of the People
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 2, 2014
  2. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Sustaining Shai Reshef's educational model

    The chart on page 31 of the catalog spells out the total costs e.g. $4050 for a Bachelors and $2050 for an Associates.

    The founder and president (Shai Reshef) has already received millions in grants between 2011-2014 (look on page 16 of their catalog to see all the donations). However, without receiving continued grants, can his educational model be sustained over the long-term?
     
  3. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    This was covered in a previous degreeinfo thread shortly after accreditation was announced in February 2014.

    All universities, especially private universities, expect to raise funds from grants and charitable donations. At some schools, this amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

    In the case of University of the People, the model will be sustainable as long as their enrollments match their resources. Note that UotP has historically been very small -- only 225 students matriculated in 2012-13, which are the latest numbers on their website. So it was probably smaller than your local high school at that time. I would expect that applications have risen since they became DETC accredited, but their funding has probably increased as well.

    If their applicant pool grows faster than their funding, then the situation may not remain financially sustainable, unless they do what other private universities do: become more selective in admissions. They would probably prefer to admit all qualified applicants, but that may not be financially realistic if they get a surge in applications.
     
  4. NMTTD

    NMTTD Active Member

    I found this on youtube, which I really liked. It gave a good explanation about how the classes are conducted. Not entirely sure I'm sold on the whole peer system, but it seems to be working for those who already attend. I just wonder, though. Won't the name and very recent accreditation cause a lot of interviewing and HR headaches?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Occ91k0u1sU&list=UU1ZZLW3dZkiFdbyDyfRlAnQ&index=11
     
  5. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Well, the students do discuss the material among themselves, but not without guidance. He said that faculty members correct mistakes, answer questions no one else can, and redirect discussions that go off topic, and that sounds like a reasonable role for them.
     
  6. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    They should accept more volunteer works such as course facitiator. I applied for it, and was rejected; instead they asked for donation.
     
  7. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    On the surface, the concept of educating people seems noble, but the underlying infrastructural money-model does not appear to be sustainable for the long-term.
     
  8. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Conversely, if a college or university is tax exempt at the state and federal level, then every dollar can be used to pay salaries and infrastructural costs.

    At the federal level, it appears that Unviersity of the People is tax exempt:
    Click here: http://www.aau.edu/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=14246

    And since it is located in Pasadena, it appears to be exempt from California's property taxes:
    Click here: Exemptions

    When an institution is 100% tax free, it is easier to sustain. This guy has done his financial homework.
     

Share This Page