DETC Recommended for Recognition by State of Texas

This is not new. However, this is the lates progress as far as the situation in Texas. The recommendation will go to THECB at their July 24, 2008 meeting, where action is expected to be positive.

DETC Recommended for Recognition by State of Texas

The Academic Excellence Review Committee of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) unanimously voted June 11 to recommend to the THECB that the Accrediting Commision of the DETC by formally recognized under the provisions of Texas Law.

This represents a major achievement for DETC, and should bring a massive sigh of relief from any Texan holding a degree from a DETC accredited institution.

This Committe recommendation came about after a long period of discussions with THECB officials concerning the unfairness of Texas laws, which in effect made it illegal for any graduate of a DETC institution to use their degrees to obtain a job. The law provided that any degree earned from an institution that was not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by THECB was not legal to be used in the State. DETC had not been able to attain Texas recognition for years, despite repeated efforts to do so.

There had even been media exposes of elected officials in Texas who had degrees that were not earned at an institution accredited by a THECB recognized accrediting body.

The staff at the THECB worked closely and cordially with the national accrediting community, and they revised their regulations to make it possible for DETC and the other nationals to apply for THECB recognition.

Twice since 1999, DETC had applied to the THECB and had been rejected following staff reviews.

On June 11, DETC suceeded with flying colors! It is not over yet, but a major step was taken.

Micahel Lambert appeared before the committee on June 11, along with representatives of three other national accrediting associations. Mr. Lambeert provided brief oral testimony about the DETC and its long tradition of helping Texans get a good education. He explained a DETC institution often is the Texas citizen's only opportunity to ear a degree or develop a salable skill.

Lambert said DETC as "passionate about consumer protection" and Texas should have confidence in DETC's work. He spoke of how popular online learning has become today, and said DETC would "cherish the opportunity to be a partner with THECB in the oversight of institutions enrolling the citizens of this Great State".

Michael P. Lambert, Executive Director DETC



Great news indeed!!!!!! Victory is sweet!!!!!


Abner Yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Agreed. My community college ( which I love dearly and enjoy working for them) does not recognize the DETC. Will that change after June 11, I dont know. I was told to keep watching. Things were changing, even at my school. I do hope they recognize them. I now have a stake in it.

 

I just sent a copy of this letter to my accreditation officer at my school. He has been following this too. He really wants my college to change their policy. Maybe this will start the ball rolling.

 

Well it's about friggin' time. I live in Texas and am a DETC grad, but I got my BS and soon my MBA from a RA school. Honestly I believe it to be highly ignorant of the THECB not to recognize the DETC. Now if only the tcleose would accept DETC accreditation.

 

Good for you Tireman! Let's us know the outcome on that.


Abner

 

How do you like your courses from LSU? I have been toying with the idea of completing a BGS degree from LSU after I am done with my MBA from Aspen. Why? The courses are so damn affordable! I just can't resist. I don't need a BGS degree, it would just be for fun.

Abner

 

Just got word today. If the THECB recognizes the DETC, so will my college. Now, will I get financial compensation, not sure on that one. When I applied for tuition reimbursement (it is just 500 dollars) for HMU, the committee that oversees it turned me down because HMU is not regionally accredited. Just that my college will recognize it feels great to me.

 

The academic rigor of an institution varies despite their accreditation (regional (RA) versus national (DETC)). I have studied at both RA and DETC accredited schools; some courses were more academically challenging at the RA schools while some courses were more academically challenging at the DETC schools.

Hopefully, Texas will recognize DETC as a valid accreditation for employment purposes as well as credit hour transfer and student financial aid funding.

 

They will. It is part of all the new changes. ironically, national accreditors should have been recognized all along, according to a letter I posses from the original author of the bill. Public outcry, along with DETC, CCU and many of us behind the scenes, finally "righted" this wrong.


Abner

 

Great news!

Good job Tireman! The more schools/Universities hear about this issue, the better.

Do me a favor. Please let the Director of DETC know about your good news. His name is Michael P. Lambert and you can reach him at [email protected]
You can mention my name.

Take care bro,


Abner

 

Abner, so far I dig it. I haven't taken a proctored course yet and have only had my book for a couple of days but it looks like it's going to be a great program.

Do you have a link to that BGS degree?

 

Sent it out with the excerpts from my accrediting officer. Used your name. My community college folks stated yes, they will recognize it if the THECB does, yes I could wear doctoral regalia at the graduation (for my school) and yes they will compensate me later in the calendar year ( I plan to defend the dissertation April 2010) of the year I earn it.

 

Tireman,

Could you please post about your experience at HMU? I've been eyeing that Doctor of Arts degree for a while and have always been interested in the Great Books Method.

Are you saying that your college wouldn't allow you to wear your doctoral regalia from a DETC school? Are you even refered to as "doctor" if with a DETC doctoral degree?

I'm in Texas...and I'd like to eventually teach so I'm curious.

 

If the THECB did not recognize the DETC, then no, I could not wear the doctoral regalia. I could not be compensated (as far as the doctoral pay with my college) and I could not be reimbursed by the college for tuition. If and when the THECB recognizes the DETC, then my DA is like an RA degree. So far so good at HMU. I am on my coursework. You design your own courses (Dave Lady is doing this too) and I have formed my dissertation committee. You can divide them up into two specialities ( mine are political science and history....24 quarter hours each) and I have chosen to complete a dissertation ( mine is about the historians of the Great Books). It has been interesting. I like it so far. My dissertation committee chair is the just the best.

 

Say there, Tireman! Are you still doing that MA in Civil War Studies at American Military University? How's the dissertation coming at UH? Which Great Books historian do you propose to write about (Herodotus, Thucydides, Tacitus, Plutarch, Edward Gibbob, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Johan Huizinga)?

 

The dissertation is coming along at UH. I am still working on the Texas Federal Writers Project. A major chunk of it (hopefully) will be coming out in December. I am still involved with the documentary that is coming out in December as well. I hope to have my writtens complete by December 2011 and the whole smash done by December 2012. Remember, I am going part time, so that is why it is taking so long. My DA is awesome at UH. At HMU, I have divided it up into three sections. The first chapter analyzes the ancient historians (Tacitus, Herodotus, Plutarch and Thucydides), the second chapter reviews the middle age historians (Gibbon, Mill, Smith) and what I consider the modern age historians (Marx, Engels and Dickens..his historical work). At AMU, yes it is on hold. I am just too busy with work, school, teaching and running to do anything else. LOL

 

Damn! Typo! I meant: Edward Gibbon!

 

Maybe he is Gibbob......lol he was an interesting fellow. His work on the Roman Empire is still regarded as one of the best.

 

I know that a gibbon is some kind of ape or monkey or something like that (one of our primate relatives, anyway), but I don't know what the hell a gibbob is!

 

Thanks Tireman. I've always been interested in the Great Books, oddly enough before I even knew there were "Great Books". How many high school kids do you see reading Marx, Plato, etc. voluntarily?

The thing that even got me into reading that type of stuff in the first place oddly enough was the original Treasure Island, Moby Dick (the old English one) then later Sherlock Holmes which gave me a taste of classic literature. It's been down hill book worm ever since. Although I freely admit to dime store novels such as those written by Zane Grey or Louis L’Amour whenever I get the time (I am in Texas after all).