Council of Private Colleges of America (legitimate effort?)

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Garp, Jun 22, 2022.

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  1. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    Their purpose is stated below. Does anyone know the extent to which they did actually parallel those standards? The list of colleges on the site isn't impressive but was this a legitimate effort?

    The only non US DoE/CHEA entity I am aware of that had a pretty good reputation (but probably no utility) was the Reformed entity that Michael Burgos mentioned. If I recall correctly, that one is seeking recognition.

    "The CPCA Certification Commission (CPCA CC) was established in response to leaders of degree granting Faith Based institutions in the USA seeking an ethical educational association.

    The intended purpose was to create a CPCA Certification agency process that provides academic and administrative comparability to United States Department of Education (USDE) recognized Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) accrediting agencies for Faith Based institutions.

    UNDERSTANDING COMPARABILITY:

    The CPCA Certification Commission Certification process standards are created comparable to USDE CHEA approved accrediting agencies’ academic and administrative standards.

    The CPCA Certification Commission Certification requirements for the in depth institutional self-study visit with CPCA Facilitator Team are created comparable to USDE CHEA approved accrediting agencies’ Evaluator Team in depth institutional self-study visit."
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    If it's so comparable, then why not just TRACS or ABHE?
     
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  3. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    If I recall from their site they are an option for those that have issues with government approval of the agencies (not an argument I agree with) and cost (they are less expensive).

    I wondered the extent they managed to do what they purport to do. If they have developed a legitimate substantive qualitative standards they offer some sort of quality control assessor for private religious schools. Of course, it is pretty meaningless in terms of adding utility as far as I know.
     
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Cost. And mistrust of Government or its authorized agencies. Two concepts that are easy to buy into, for many. I think there are enough schools that would speedily embrace this entity.

    I have no idea how good their standards are, or how well the implementation works. That's for others to find. As an atheist, religious schools are off my radar, except for particularly egregious ones, when it comes to greed or woefully substandard degrees. I don't like bad education or bad educators, of any stripe, secular or religious.

    If this organization can do a fair job of setting and ensuring adherence to good standards, at less cost than the traditional agencies - I wish it well.
     
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  5. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    In many ways, I would be a supporter of State or Federal government agencies doing the accreditation (at least basic accreditation). Usually, it is more affordable when government agencies do it so that is better for schools and probably better for newer institutions.
     
  6. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Every state does licensure. That as a baseline, with private accreditation as an additional layer for those schools and students who want that, is fine. The problem is that the federal financial aid system turned accreditors into gatekeepers, which is something they weren't supposed to be.
     
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  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    There are those who would likely disagree on affordability. As prime examples, this organization, its supporters and adherents.

    And States do not do accreditation. With the possible exception of NYBOR or whatever it's now called. The closest others got to that was State Approval, in California - which was not exactly accreditation, and is long gone anyway. Authorization, licensing - yes, that's been done - but not accreditation. It's perfectly OK, but you're in favour of something that doesn't exist.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2022
  8. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    If I'm not mistaken some states for higher education only license post secondary properly accredited schools(colleges, universities, institutes).
     
  9. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I don't see how, since licensure is a prerequisite for accreditation. There are states that require that the schools they license become accredited to maintain it, however.
     
    Dustin likes this.

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