Voorhees on probation: distance ed problems

For the record, Voorhees College, South Carolina, has been put on probation by its accreditor, the Southern Association "cited for problems with its distance-learning programs." This is the first case I can recall where a school got in accreditation trouble over distance learning matters (the nature of them not specified -- and, not surprisingly, nothing said in the "What's New" section of the Voorhees website, www.voorhees.edu).

 

Some might argue the DL angle on this, however I was a grad student at National University in the late-1980's when WASC placed them on probation... it seems that WASC was concerned over the too-rapid expansion of their "satellite campuses" and the lack of institutional facilities to support the expansion... consequently NU began to build up their libraries at their satellite campuses (which were being neglected after an initial investment)... and I also think that they withdrew from one or two of their new/future satellite campuses as a result of their accreditation problems... Full accreditation was eventually restored after they repaired the issues WASC set out for them…

As a sidebar... That was also back when NU was inspired to create a D.B.A. program (and I seem to recall the possibility of an Ed.D. being discussed as well)… and WASC apparently ended that aspiration for them…

Bruce in Colorado Springs

 

Indeed. I graduated with an MBA from National in 1985; in 1988 I was an assistant professor at San Diego State and in close contact with some National officials. WASC was particularly mad about the expansion to Las Vegas, which was outside their jurisdiction. WASC specifically told David (Chigos, then president, but everyone called him by his first name) not to do it, but he took the "800-pound gorilla" approach and did it anyway. WASC jumped on them and put National on probation.

WASC was also concerned about something related to the expansion. National owned a lot of the property from which it operated. True, it did lease some smaller facilities in office buildings, but David wanted to thumb his nose at SDSU and U. of San Diego, so he bought all that Mission Valley campus property. It was huge and expensive. National got into serious financial problems, threatening their viability. David was ousted, replaced by a retired Marine Corps general. They retrenched, reorganized finacially, sold properties, and trimmed programs. (Including the 700-level course curriculum that was to become the coursework for the D.B.A.) National survived, and now it thrives. It also has a beautiful set of administrative offices in Torrey Pines.

National University was created by David Chigos (whose Ph.D. was from U.S. International University) while he was working for General Dynamics. David wanted to begin a leadership and management training program for executives. That idea expanded to getting SDSU to begin a night-school MBA program. (This was in the early 1970's and such a thing wasn't done very often.) Rebuffed by SDSU--who told him that if people were serious about their education they would quit their jobs and come on campus--he began his own university. He originally kept school records in the trunk of his Cadillac. National grew to become--and remains--the second largest private university in California. Stanford, National, and USC. (Or are Stanford and USC reversed? I'm never sure.)

Rich Douglas

 

Just an update:
In my summer NU Alumni Newsletter they talk about a new "Doctor of Organizational Leadership" program. It is proposed at this point.

Not much else said about it.

Humbug101 and 82 alumni of NU

 

Just wanted to let you know John that you may want to rethink having CCHS listed as one of your top 100 favorites on your website. I have not heard any glowing remarks about this school. (See "CCHS Aid" post on this site)



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