DETC Scorecard possibly the final update for June

The DETC website (detc.org) now lists Taft and FLET among the accredited degree-granting schools, so it may be safe to assume that the results are all in, since the time for appeals ended earlier today.

YES
William Howard Taft University
Universidad FLET
College of Humanities and Science
International Import-Export Institute

NO
St. John's University*

POSTPONED YorktownUniversity

DEFERRED SIX MONTHS
Southwest University

NOT LISTED AS ACCREDITED BY DETC, SO WE DEDUCE EITHER "NO" OR "POSTPONED" OR "DEFERRED" OR POSSIBLY "ON APPEAL" BUT WE MAY NEVER KNOW UNLESS THEY CHOOSE TO TELL US
Central State University
IMPAC University
Lansbridge University
Rescue College

_____________
* Not announced by St. Johns, but reported by Fox News in Dallas, following their talk with the Louisiana Board of Regents.

 

Thanks for the update Dr. Bear.

Just curious, anyone know if St. John's is in the appeal mode?

They advertise big in some trade mags I have seen.

 

The Official Word From Southwest

I sent an email to Southwest inquiring as to the status of their accreditation bid as well as the licensure matter. I received the following response:

_________________________

Dear Mr. Fraser:

Thank you for your communication.

We have received much encouragement from DETC. All of our courses and study guides have been approved.

We have been asked to provide additional information to DETC by mid-November. DETC has informed the State Board of Regents. We do not anticipate any problem.

David, we will be attending the Boards' meeting this week. You can check back after the 26th of June.

Your continued support is appreciated.

__________________________

Shortly thereafter, Dr. Reg Sheldrick called me at my office to follow up on my inquiry. I told him about degreeinfo.com and mentioned that John Bear is a regular poster. Sheldrick indicated he has known Dr. Bear for several years. Anyway, he pointed out that the extension was based on two factors. First, they have to engage at least two more adjunct faculty members with earned doctorates. This is a need because of a couple of the masters programs they offer. The other issue was that some of the course material referenced texts that publishers had discontinued. They have to rewrite the course material to reflect currently available texts. The Louisiana Board of Regents has been notified of the details and will meet with Southwest officials on June 25. Dr. Sheldrick anticpates no problems with having their licenses extended until they have satisfactorily provided the additional information to DETC.

FYI.

 

I don't know, but I really can't see St. John's gaining accreditation unless they make some major changes. They did drop their doctoral programs and most of their academic fields (they only offer Criminal Justice & related majors now) in preparation for accreditation, but they have one of the most "homegrown" faculty lists I've ever seen. It looks like the majority of their faculty members have at least one degree from St. John's.


Bruce

 

I also remember their instructor list also including such heavy hitters like; Kensington, Columbia Pacific, Clayton, PWU, and University of Metaphysics.

I am sure there were a few more, but that's all I can think of at the moment. Buyer...I mean student beware.

 

Hi, Dr. Bear,
You might e-mail DETC at [email protected] and just ask them the status of these universities you have not received information on. I e-mailed DETC about Lansbridge, and a lady from DETC e-mailed me back to let me know that Lansbridge U. had not been reviewed yet. She thinks they are scheduled for a Fall visit.

Nellie

 

DETC's official June report: Report from the DETC Accrediting Commission (June 27, 2003).

Most interesting piece of information within: Century University has applied for DETC accreditation! Also Central State University.

 

And I see that Century's website (http://www.centuryuniversity.edu/) no longer advertizes doctoral programs.

 

Interesting DETC report. I didn't see California Coast University in the section on initial accreditation.

Change of heart, or just that they didin't make this report in time? Just curious.

 

UNISA's DETC STRATEGY?

Just a thought.

Last year many of wondered why UNISA chose to become accredited by DETC.

Oxpecker and others may have already thought of this, but do you think UNISA might have attained DETC accreditation for the specific reason of further enhancing its position in the merger with TSA and Vista-Vudec?

Today, I received my first print copy of UNISA's student magazine, Student Talk,. I think it is available on UNISA's website, but I can't access it tonight.

The first page discusses the relevance of UNISA's 130th anniversary to the merger process. I think both TSA and Vista were founded in the eighties.

Now my DETC strategy hypothesis: Page 23 contains the following article:

Top United States accreditation body seeks Unisa's expertise

"Unisa has joined the ranks of a select few distance education institutions qualified to vet the credentials of other organizations seeking accredition with the United States' Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)." The article goes on to say two Unisa faculty members were part of a four person team sent by DETC for an evaluation visit at an unnamed institution in Brighton, must have been Rhodec International. The article goes on to say another Unisa evaluater was requested by DETC to participate in an evaluation of a U.S. school. The article concludes by discussing Unisa's contribution to DETC, a professor presenting papers and Unisa speakers at the Conference in Hawaii and at a DETC workshop in Ireland scheduled for July.

I'm not knocking my own alma mater, but Unisa is clearly out of DETC's league - give us 120 years to catch-up.

I think Unisa was well aware of DETC's place on the totem pole when it applied for accreditation, but here was another opportunity to demonstrate Unisa's pre-eminence, DETC is a U.S. based international accreditor.

I'm not going to speculate exactly what, but I now think UNISA's primary reason for DETC accreditation has to do with the merger. Any thoughts?

 

No, I don't think its related to the merger, since the DETC accreditation effort was launched under former Principal Antony Melck some time before the merger proposal gathered steam.

But I think you are close in the sense that the real reasons for the DETC accreditation are close to home. As I have mentioned in previous posts, South Africa has lacked any credible form of institutional review. But they are moving towards a system of periodic review and accreditation. Unisa wanted to be in the driver's seat as the system unfolds -- rather than letting government bureaucrats go their own way. So it's important for Unisa to establish its credibility as an institution that is accredited by an internationally recognized body, and that participates actively in the accreditation process. This puts them in a much better position as South Africa's own system is developed.

My opinion, but based on a speech Melck delivered at the time Unisa announced the DETC accreditation bid.

 

My guess is that they are awaiting the end of an enrollment rush into the doctoral programs that they are dropping.

I do not believe they have actually made an application yet.

Their listed faculty almost all have doctorates from better than average R/A schools. They have been in business for 30 years and must be financially secure. I am sure tweaking some course content and providing for proctored exams is all that is required to ensure accreditation.