Bob Jones University seeking TRACS accreditation

http://www.bju.edu/aboutbju/special_articles/credit

 

Wow! This is interesting. I believe BJU already has a fine reputation, so will TRACS benefit them in any way?

 

I can't imagine any reason why they would not be quickly certified. Bob Jones is a top flight university by any measurement.

 

Too bad for Sleazyslough Seminary . Now must questioned its logic:

BJU is very good, but unaccredited,
SS is also unaccredited,
Therefore, SS is also very good.

 

Very surprising news!

I once wrote to someone in administration at BJU (couple of years ago). Discussed TRACS and asked why they did not seek it. The person seemed enthusiastic about TRACS but came later and said they were basically opposed to accreditation and would send me a pamphlet about why (I guess he checked with someone). The Pamphlet was well written and laid out an argument that even accreditation by a Christian accrediting agency could lead to compromise over doctrinal issues (etc.).

This is good news though on a couple of fronts. First, in answer as to why BJU (a Top notch school) would seek accreditation there are a couple of answers. It would provide graduates an even better chance of transfer of credits and use of their degrees. Even though there is pretty good utility there are still doors closed to them. The organization I work for will not consider ANY unaccredited degree for employment (NA is fine, RA is fine, UnA no way). Also, this opens the door to students having the opprotunity to use their GI Bill/VA benefits and possibly Federal Student Loans.

Lastly, Bill is correct. Unfortunately, as great an academic school as BJU is, it could be lumped in with all kinds of unaccredited low functioning religious schools that could never get accreditation and claim the same thing BJU claims (about not seeking accreditation...etc). Recognized accreditation provides some guarentee that a school has met some standards.

TRACS would be a tremendous benefit to BJU's students *AND* BJU would be of benefit to TRACS. TRACS needs to continue to attract high caliber schools (universities) to its membership.

North

 

Kudos to BJU and congratulations to BJU graduates that deserve maximum utility for their hard earned degrees.

This is another indication to me that there's a strong trend that perpetually unaccredited school equals not only little utility but illegal to use at all. Society is putting the squeeze on academic fraud.

 

RA works for hundreds of church-related schools and seminaries, including the staunchly evangelical Dallas and TEDS.

That's not true.

 

Bill,

BJU has examples of how some of those institutions needed to compromise with RA & even ATS (in pamphlet they have on accreditation) on doctrinal issues (at least from their point of view).

As for the issue of the "only National insitutional accrediting agency". I too wondered about that. Do they mean comprehensive agency. DECT is just distance, AABC does not do graduate programs, ATS does not do undergraduate (if I recall), does that academcy of Liberal Ed do comprehensive accreditation?

At any rate, TRACS will benefit BJU and BJU will benefit TRACS. TRACS is attracting more and more quality insitutions and needs larger type programatic schools like Liberty, BJU, Tennessee Temple Unviersity, etc.

North

 

Hurrah!!! It's the way to go

If Bob Jones University becomes accredited by TRACS (and of course it will be), diploma millers will soon have no credible example to use in their incantatory recital of unaccredited schools that are nonetheless reputable. I am glad that the number of unaccredited but reputable schools is shrinking. I am not a fan of Bob Jones University because of the school’s racist past but am convinced that Bob Jones University is a highly reputable institution.

 

TRACS isn't the only national institutional accrediting agency.

BJU would likely remain ineligible to participate in federal financial aid programs because of discriminatory practices they refuse to abandon.

Here's how they lovingly treat alumni who are gay:

AP Story from 1998

Then there's the ban on interracial dating and other, sordid practices. One wonders about TRACS and its tolerance of intolerance.

Accreditation of BJU would shut up a lot of degree mill shills who use it as a shining example. (BJU is unaccredited and it's good. Our degree mill is unaccredited and therefore good, too.)

 

Perhaps it might have some effect among the fundamentalist religious-exemption crowd that takes BJU's lead. But it would have little effect among schools for whom TRACS isn't an appropriate accreditor.

They could still use the BJU-style argument that accreditation equals compromise, and point to the fact that there are no specialized accreditors willing to endorse their own non-negotiable distinctives.

The fact that Degreeinfo considers this a feather in TRACS' cap demonstrates that BJU successfuly made its reputation without accreditation.

 

I agree with you all (y'all) that this would be a win-win for both BJU and TRACS and also agree with Rich that it would be a blow for the mill shills. The literature is incorrect about TRACS being "the only non-regional institutional accrediting body in the nation" (the AALE is an example of another one), but this is a minor point.

Tony Piña
Faculty, CSU San Bernardino

 

I have a question about Rich's words. BTW Rich, thanks for the link to the issue about gay alumni.
Rich said, "BJU would likely remain ineligible to participate in federal financial aid programs because of discriminatory practices they refuse to abandon....
Then there's the ban on interracial dating and other, sordid practices."
I am curious and have wanted to know for some time now how many of these practices are current, or how many are past? Do they still ban interracial dating? What are some of the other discriminatory and "sordid practices"?

 

Hi Ike and Bill Grover: Yes, this will remove a common mill argument (false exhibit, that is) against accreditation. It's also a good move for BJU. It will, FWIW, leave WLS in solitary splendor as the one unaccredited seminary perfectly qualified for accreditation but genuinely avoiding it on doctrinal grounds.

 

Hey Janko,

Thanks for agreeing with me. You know, I always respect your views.

 

As I do yours, Dr. Ike.

 

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The University website makes the claim that it does not discriminate in any educational policy re rights or activities on the basis of race, or color, or ethnic group. There should be no current discriminatory practices at all. If anyone has evidence to the contrary , then I too , along with Rich, would like to see it.

[I am no special fan of BJU]

 

While they obviously should not arrest a homosexual for trespassing, they have every right to refuse to accept homosexuality as a norm. If they do not want homosexual students they should be able to discrimate in that area just like they can any other area where they believe morality is being compromised.

BLD