Defunct Colleges and Universities Questions.

Hey all, I have a question on defunct post-secondary institutions.
I know if an institution loses their accreditation, and you graduate before then, you still have an accredited degree. However, how is one to obtain transcripts from a closed institution? Second of all, how is one to verify his or her degree is accredited? I mean, some human resources person is not going to go through the trouble in many cases in believing a potential job applicants degree is accredited if the college is closed. This can cause some problems. This just seems to be an area where your academic records and transcripts should be held by the U.S. Dept. of Education. Geesh, they hold your records on your student loans, shouldnt they be required to be a depository for student records and transcripts for closed colleges? But this is just my opinion.

 

I was looking through the North Central Association www.ncacihe.org website recently. In their list of accredited schools, they show when they were first accredited, when accreditation was lost (where applicable), and where defunct college records are stored. Apparently, when a school goes defunct, another school accredited by the same accrediting agency become the repository of the old school's records.

 

I believe each state has a system for storing records. Often they are kept in the registrar's office of an existing college. For example, Fort Hays State has Marymount's transcripts.

 

I've been wondering the same thing as Kaplan College er...University bought out my school..the College for Professional Studies.

I was told by the woman who worked for CPS that there will always be someone there even though they have been bought out by Kaplan, quit accepting new students in 2003 and Kaplan College itself does not have CPS students in their database.

Makes me nervous.

As for proving the school was accredited...I think a letter to the DETC would probably solve that one.

 

I think it is poor for each state to have their own system. I believe there needs to be standardized rules across the board. That's why I believe the U.S. Department of Education should store such records. It would bring integrity for the former students/graduate's transcripts to these defunct colleges and universities. Again, that's my opinion, what do I know?

 

Why would the Federal Government store such records?

 

Why not store such records? It would be easier to access such records when needed. There is some people working in human resource departments who do not understand accreditation issues when it comes to defunct colleges. It would also stop persons who claim they graudated from a defunct college when they never attended a college in their life. Thus using phoney credentials. Many Many reason to have the Federal Department of Education store records. The one main reason is a centralized place to get your student records when a school closed plain and simple. No tracking down of transcripts, just a write a letter, pay a nominal fee, show proof of identity, and you get your records plain and simple. If the department of education can store records of student loans, then they can certainly store student records of defunct colleges.

 

Ah! Actually, I never said we shouldn't store such records. I did ask why the Federal Government should store such records. I guess I was just wondering out loud to myself (and for the first time in my life) whether the Federal Government has an obligation to do everything. As for record storage, sure they ought to be stored by somebody. I just wasn't aware that the current system (arranging for records of defunct schools to be transferred to other schools) was inadequate. But your point about having one centralized location was a good one. As for human resource workers that don't know about accreditation issues, maybe if businesses would stop being so penny wise and pound foolish about labor costs, they might actually be able to hire someone with a brain.

 

I'll agree with you about business being penny pinchers. Not all of them are penny pinchers. However, too many companies are trying to save a dime today at the expense of a costing them a dollar in the long run. What I am trying to say is too many major companies are too short sighted when it comes to money issues. I also would say that having the feds store records is a consumer protection measure. The majority of students paid and earned their education. One should have proof for a lifetime that he or she completed their degree.

 

Yeah, like when tons of military records were destroyed in the Jefferson Barracks fire. What Ted said about the NCA system is accurate. If it ain't broke, why fix it?

 

In Florida, we try to get the records of closing schools if possible. It's not always possible. Some smaller schools toss them in a dumpster. Sometimes it's to avoid any investigation into what's been going on; sometimes it's just ignorance about what they are required to do.