Who is Knocking on WASC's Door?

WASC recently updated their schedule of upcoming site visits, pushing it out into 2007.

Besides all the routine reaccreditation visits for currently accredited schools, there are a number of interesting new names that aren't currently on the lists.

It's an interesting eclectic bunch. One trend that catches my eye is the international aspect. Lots of these schools reflect the interests of California's new immigrant communities.

California Graduate Institute -- This is the oldest and perhaps the largest of the CA-approved psychology schools. They've hosted several WASC visits in the past, so they apparently had/have some changes to make before they could qualify for candidacy, but the fact that WASC is hanging with them implies that they are indeed a serious applicant.

http://www.cgi.edu/

California State University, Channel Islands -- Not yet a candidate, but as close to a lock on eventual accreditation as you can get.

http://www.csuci.edu

InterAmerican College -- In National City south of San Diego, their thing seems to be offering Spanish language programs.

http://www.iacnc.edu/

Soka University -- A well-funded spinoff of Japan's Soka University. Building a beautiful new campus in Orange county. Associated with Soka Gokkai. Currently accredited by AALE, I believe, or at least a candidate with them.

http://www.soka.edu

University of the West -- I like these guys. They are currently a WASC candidate.

http://www.hlu.edu

South Baylo University School of Oriental Medicine -- This introduces a new trend: ACAOM accredited acupuncture colleges going for regional accreditation.

http://www.southbaylo.edu

American University of Armenia -- Currently a candidate. This is certainly located at a distance, even if it isn't distance learning. It is a new university being built in Armenia, apparently funded by Armenian-Americans, that wants American accreditation to make it more credible internationally. Site visits to this will be interesting.

National Test Pilot School -- I love this school. These guys had a site visit a while back. I imagine that they have to create all kinds of administrative committees, procedures and documentation to satisfy WASC. No more VFR, it's gonna be instrument flying for them from now on, if they want to qualify for their candidacy rating.

http://www.ntps.edu

Academy of Art University -- This is the largest art school in the United States by enrollment. They offer a truly staggering lineup of DL offerings. Currently accredited by ACICS and NASAD.

http://www.academyart.edu

American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine -- Another ACAOM acupuncture college heard from.

http://www.actcm.edu/

UC, Merced -- I don't understand how a degree-mill like this could even be considered for accreditation.

http://www.ucmerced.edu

Intercultural Institute of California -- Currently a candidate.

http://www.iic.edu

 

Any connection between the Armenian venture and Mashdots College?

 

Isn't UC, Merced a legitimate, future school? Did I miss the implied smiley?

 

Re: Re: Who is Knocking on WASC's Door?

They do not even have an athletics department or mascot, they can't be legit!

 

Dunno, Unk. But I don't think so.

Here's AUA's website.

http://www.aua.am/

 

And not even a fight song. Maybe they can borrow the one from Berkeley:

• Oski Wow-Wow!
  Whiskey Wee-Wee!
  Olee! Muckie-eye!
  Olee! Berkeley-eye!
  California! Wow!

(Those are really the lyrics to the song!)

 

Re: Re: Who is Knocking on WASC's Door?

JoAnn, they are a University of California, for heaven's sake! Credible?? Whatta joke!

Like Mike says, they don't even have a school mascot.

For a true and fitting example of a UC mascot, consider the UC Santa Cruz fighting (or not) Banana Slugs.

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/09.26.01/slugs1-0139.html

(Scroll down for a description of banana slug sex.)

The UCSC Chancellor said it: "As a symbol of our athletic ambitions, consider that the banana slug is spineless (ipso facto), yellow (cowardly), sluggish (slow of foot) and slimy (enough said)."

Bwa ha ha ha ha!

I'm a CSU graduate. It's my responsibility to mock UC.

 

Re: Re: Re: Who is Knocking on WASC's Door?

The Bobcats. And they've never lost a game!

The first grad students arrived a few weeks ago. The first undergrads will be coming in the fall of 2005. I was out at the campus again a few days ago and it is a sight to behold -- rising up off the first rise into the Sierra foothills. The land is now being put to a much better use than when it hosted the ponds which sucked up my golf balls.

 

Re: Re: Re: Who is Knocking on WASC's Door?

Those of us educated in the great UC halls are above such petty bickering. It is far more satisfying to pick on the girlie-men at Stanford.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Who is Knocking on WASC's Door?

Go on... finish the sentence... "at Stanford, the junior university." (The proper name of Stanford is "Leland Stanford JUNIOR University" -- a point which Cal grads, including my wife, never tire of mentioning.)

It all has to do with some goofy axe that Cal and Stanford think they should fight over. Anyway, I suspect that it will be awhile before UC Merced has that much extra time on their hands.

 

Bill: "It is far more satisfying to pick on the girlie-men at Stanford."

John: Careful, Bill. Theodore Streleski was a doctoral candidate at Stanford for 19 years. Perhaps our governor chose to do his degree by distance learning (from U of Wisconsin) so he wouldn't have to meet any girlie-man students.

 

The New WASC Applicants

Does anyone have any opinions on the new WASC applicants?

I'm struck by their diversity.

There are two state universities, one of them the first new American doctoral-research university of the 21'st century.

There's the National Test Pilot School, which occupies a unique niche, both domestically and internationally.

There are two Buddhist universities, a phenomenon that the rest of the US hasn't yet seen (with the exception of Naropa). Both of them illustrate the growing Asian influence in California, Japanese in one case, Taiwanese in the other. One school seems intent on becoming an undergraduate liberal art college, the other emphasizes a very strong progam in doctoral level Buddhist studies. There's also a tiny institute that offers a unique masters degree in Korean studies by DL.

In addition, there are two acupuncture/Oriental medicine schools seeking regional accreditation, which I think is a new phenomenon nationally as well.

There's an American university in Armenia, a huge San Francisco art school with elaborate DL offerings and the grand daddy of California psych schools. (That category has already seen Saybrook, Fielding, Pacifica, ITP, PGSP, etc. move on to RA.)

And finally, one of the schools seems intended to serve California's massive Mexican community.

I'm struck by the number of schools. Twelve new schools is more schools than some states and nations have, total.

I'm struck by how unusual many of them are. Not only are there a bunch of them, but they aren't the sorts of schools that one typically encounters elsewhere.

Ten of the twelve, including all of the unusual ones, are rising up out of the California-approved sector. I've argued before that the sector plays a valuable role as an incubator, and these new WASC applicants might just be additional evidence of that.

 

Qu'est-ce que c'est oski woski?