AABC considering graduate accreditation

It appears AABC is looking into accrediting beyond the undergraduate level.

http://www.gospelcom.net/aabc/Proposed%20Criteria.pdf

 

That is interesting. Is this a good move or bad move for the AABC? With ATS, TRACS, and the RAs already other there, is there a need for such? Granted, it would allow some of the Canadian institutions to have their graduate programs accredited and not have to go to the ATS (an attractive option in my mind).

However, if this is one step forward for the AABC, then maybe they have already taken 2 steps backward.
Notice they have begun an affiliate members designation (http://www.gospelcom.net/aabc/affiliate%20members.htm)
Although this designation suggests no evaluation of academic quality or integrity, it may cause some to wonder about the AABC's standards. Take a look of some of the illustrious affiliate members.
In an email to the executive directory of the AABC, I questioned if more care should not be taken in who it accepts as affiliate members. Maybe one of the criteria for affiliate membership should be a commitment to an application for accreditation within a certain time, along with some basic evaluation of institutional integrity.

 

Sorry, I should have probably stated, "some of the infamous affiliate members".

 

Before I saw the info on the AABC web site I emailed them and inquired if they had ever considered accrediting on the graduate level. Here is the response I just received:

 

AABC and Affiliate Member Colleges

Here is the response I received from the Executive Director of the AABC.

"Thank you for the note of concern. I will follow up on the matter you have expressed. You are right that affiliation does not assume academic quality in the same way as accreditation, however, we do want to protect our good name.

Shalom,

Larry McKinney

Executive Director

 

Do other accrediting agencies have a similar status as AABC's "Affiliate Member", that provide no assurance of quality and integrity of the instiution, yet allow some benefits from the accreditor?
Is such wise?
How should they protect their reputation?
It appears at least a few of the institutions on the list are quite questionable.

 

Hi Alan: You're right on the money as usual. What a stupid move by AABC!