Justice Department to Force Conditional RA Acceptance of Unaccredited College Credit?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by RKanarek, Apr 7, 2002.

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  1. RKanarek

    RKanarek Member

    Greetings.

    A gentleman under the name of "David C. Scott" posted a very interesting article on the remains of A.E.D. The article referenced a D.O.J. press release, circa 1997, with the title "JUSTICE DEPARTMENT URGES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO REMOVE SCHOOL CREDIT TRANSFER BARRIERS IMPOSED BY REGIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCY". (see http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/1997/September97/381at.html)

    Can any of you clever chaps tell me what prompted the D.O.J. to take its stance, what has happened since 1997 (with regard to this issue), and whether any further action is anticipated?


    Cordially,
    Richard Kanarek
     
  2. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    I think you missed the point of the article. The way I read it, SACS is denying transfer credit from other accrediting agencies, and I'd bet the house that the article is referring to other recognized accrediting agencies, most likely the other regionals. There is no way the DOJ is urging SACS to accept WAUC transfer credit, for example.

    The basic concept isn't something new. A lot of RA schools put a cap on the amount of transfer credit they will accept, but from the article you posted it seems that SACS is making it a matter of policy. This also isn't something new, as SACS is known as one of the more tight-assed of the regionals. For example, my opinion is that American Military University would have RA by now if they didn't fall under SACS jurisdiction.


    Bruce
     
  3. It appears that this was the result of a spat between SACS and COE (which split from SACS) and it relates to credit for courses at vocational training schools. This dispute was apparently resolved in December of the same year, as the following report describes:
    • The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) announced at its annual meeting on December 9, 1997, that it would discontinue using criteria which disallowed transfer credits from institutions accredited by Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT), the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), and the Council on Occupational Education (COE). The policy was first questioned by the Department of Education in November 1995. Last year the Justice Department began investigating after several colleges with membership in the three national accrediting agencies filed complaints. All three agencies are recognized by the American Council on Education and the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation. In September the Justice Department warned SACS that the criteria may be in violation of federal antitrust statutes. SACS accredits institutions of higher education in 11 southern states. Seven CAAHE institutions fall under SACS accreditation.
      (Source: Consortium for the Advancement of Adult Higher Education)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 7, 2002
  4. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    I'd just like to add that the subject line of this thread seems to be misleading.

    The issue was not: "Justice Department to Force Conditional RA Acceptance of Unaccredited College Credit".

    What the DoJ really seems to have been objecting to was a regional accreditor making it a condition of accreditation that member schools only accept credits from regionally accredited schools.

    There doesn't seem to have been any suggestion that schools be *forced* to accept non-RA credits, even with conditions. Rather the idea seems to have been to allow them to do so if they so wish.

    Personally, I think that it would have been very interesting to see what would have happened had this continued on towards court. It would have had tremendous implications. If an association of universities can't set standards for what constitutes valid university credit, could any professional association legally set standards for its own profession?

    Could the AMA continue to set standards for valid medical practice? What about the bar associations?

    If the professional associations themselves are no longer allowed to define what constitutes good practice in their professions, who (if anyone) would be permitted to do so?

    I think that we all know the answer.
     
  5. RKanarek

    RKanarek Member

    Howdy.

    I think I got so excited by the title of the release that I
    didn't read its content carefully enough. (While I would gain
    little from being able to transfer non-RA credit to an RA school,
    I hold the Regional Accreditors in low regard, and I would
    rejoice at their discomfort. <g>) Thanks for taking the time to
    explain to me what I should have been able to figure out (read)
    myself.

    As far as the title of this thread being misleading, I would
    *welcome* it if Mr. White, in one of his many spare moments <g>,
    would rename it how ever he thinks best. Alternately, I have no
    objection to the entire thread being discarded.


    Cordially,
    Richard Kanarek
     
  6. David Appleyard

    David Appleyard New Member

    A little more to add to Gert's post:

    "Elimination of Anticompetitive Accreditation Practices Through Cooperation with Department of Education: In September 1997, the Antitrust Division filed comments with the Department of Education (DOE) challenging anticompetitive accreditation standards and practices of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools ("SACS"). SACS is the DOE-recognized accreditor of 780 colleges and universities in the South. In 1994-95, SACS adopted new accreditation standards that prevented students registered at technical and business colleges accredited by accrediting agencies that compete with SACS from transferring course work credit to schools accredited by SACS. Since SACS accredits all of the traditional "receiving" institutions in the South, its new accreditation standards prevented over 100,000 students enrolled at non-SACS schools in the South from transferring credits, and also injured competing accrediting agencies that accredit technical and business colleges and the institutions that they accredit. DOE staff agreed with the DOJ comments and recommended sanctions against SACS. As a result, SACS agreed in December 1997 to eliminate the accreditation standards that the Division had criticized."

    http://www.alca-ftaa.oas.org/cp_comp/english/dae2/rdeUSA2.asp
     

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