Regional and National Accreditation are now the same

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by rodmc, Aug 19, 2020.

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  1. rodmc

    rodmc Active Member

  2. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

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  3. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    The U.S. Department of Education might do so, but despite what they say in a letter, the states are not obligated to follow suit.

    So, for example, I expect that one would be courting disappointment to expect that all public institutions will suddenly start accepting credit from schools with The Accreditation Formerly Known As National.
     
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  4. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    It's true that it's up to the receiving institution to decide whether to accept transfer credit or not.

    Most regionally accredited institutions will accept transfer credit from other regionally accredited institutions.

    Some regionally accredited institutions will accept transfer credit from nationally accredited institutions, others will not.
     
    rodmc likes this.
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Indeed one would be courting disappointment. "The Accreditation Formerly Known As National?" I like that. A great name. We should print it in purple and devise a symbol for it...
     
  6. rodmc

    rodmc Active Member

    Steve, if you check out Ed https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html#RegionalInstitutional, all accreditors are listed without clarifying regional or national. Ed used to differentiate national and regional accreditation on its website. I have direct communication from a regional accreditor that states they are now being considered a "national accreditor". I do see a big change coming due to the crossing of geographic lines and the wide-spread delivery of distance learning. Time will tell...
     
  7. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I'm aware. What I'm saying is that just because the terminology the U.S. Department of Education uses is streamlining doesn't mean those who actually make decisions at IHEs are going to behave differently. Academics are nothing if not hyper-aware of pecking orders.

    Yes, I expect this is a reference to a different change from the U.S. Department of Education, which is the expansion of scope of FKA regional accreditors to start "fishing in each others' waters", as it were.

    Delivery of distance learning has been widespread for a long, long time, and regional accreditors have accredited branch campuses in each others' territories for decades. Things probably will get a bit more mixed up over time, but I wouldn't exaggerate how much.
     
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  8. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    That's been the case for a while. But it doesn't reflect reality. Colleges and universities are free to accept--or reject--credits from other institutions. Nothing's changed there. Employers are free to accept--or reject--degrees from certain types of schools. Nothing's changed their, either.

    How much time? DEAC, for example, has been accrediting schools offering the bachelor's degree for more than 40 years.

    Again, those lines have been "crossed" for decades.

    Higher education in America is largely self-regulating. The six regional associations were formed by their constituent colleges during the first half of the 20th century. Unless the federal government wants to get into the business of directly accrediting literally tens of thousands of tertiary institutions (degree- and non-degree-granting), I suspect they'll continue to rely on accrediting agencies. And there's no reason why the regionals should decide to have anything to do with other institutional accreditors, all of whom are SUPPOSED to be working in their respective niches.

    If it's all the same, I'd like to reserve judgment. I'll believe it when I see it.
     
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  9. GregWatts

    GregWatts Active Member

    FWIW, I don't have current knowledge but I believe that RA credits transport well internationally (nothing is certain) but other accreditors (ABHE, for example) haven't had the same success.
     
  10. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    Interesting how WES Canada, NARIC, and other countries will adjust and when.
    NARIC only evaluates RA degrees from the USA.So they may simply single out the agencies they found equal to their country.
    Will the US credential evaluators have to change the wording on the evaluation reports?
    Usually, they determined id the degree equated to the US RA University.

    Its been a while since I visited CHEA, how are they grouping the accreditors?
     
  11. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

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  12. sideman

    sideman Well Known Member

     
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  13. LearningAddict

    LearningAddict Well-Known Member

  14. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Well, at least it's not Fake related.
     
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  15. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    The Community College of Philadelphia has changed its wording when referring to accreditation for job opportunities. "Any and all degrees must be from a recognized institutional accreditor." Previously, their job postings would read "Any and all degrees must be from a regionally accredited institution of higher education."
     
    rodmc likes this.
  16. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    So, a community college will now accept a non-RA degree for employment purposes. Maybe. (Just because it implies that doesn't make it so.) But even if true....so?
     
  17. Vonnegut

    Vonnegut Well-Known Member

    That's the first institution that I've heard of who is doing so. All of the one's that I'm in contact with, seem to be universally maintaining the status quo. Even a major corporation that I often work with, and has always insisted on RA degrees, is still maintaining the RA requirement.
     
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  18. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    Didn't there used to be a CHEA related consortium of schools that agreed to accept credits and degrees from any accredited institution? Seems to me New Mexico State was a signatory.
     
  19. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Yes, they sponsored a "Higher Education Transfer Alliance", but I don't know whether it's still active.
     

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