A small university to close with little warning. It blames the Education Department for its end.

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Tireman 44444, Sep 27, 2022.

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  1. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    When a for-profit university told its 2,000 students last week it will close in a matter of days, it blamed the Education Department for its decision. Virginia-based Stratford University offered courses in business administration, culinary arts and nursing and was one of roughly two dozen schools approved to receive federal money by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. The Education Department, however, stripped ACICS of its power to accredit universities in August because it didn't meet government standards.


    Va.-based Stratford University to close down - WTOP News
    A small university to close with little warning. It blames the Education Department for its end. (msn.com)
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Speaking of Northern Virginia, while I don't have any inside information, I wouldn't be surprised if Fairfax University of America (formerly known as Virginia International University) is soon to follow. They're also ACICS and I haven't heard that they've made any progress with any other accreditor despite talking about it for at least a decade.
     
  3. Rachel83az

    Rachel83az Well-Known Member

    Yeah, it's the DoE's fault that the school didn't even bother to try to find another accreditor.
     
    Johann likes this.
  4. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    Stratford University should blame itself; why blaming on the US Department of Education? ACICS was unstable in 2016, and Stratford did not find a different accredited agency. With it existing since 1976 and local campuses, Stratford could have achieved The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
     
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  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    No. I highly doubt that. TRACS - possibly. We'll never know.
     
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  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Time to sigh, mutter a silent prayer --- and call TRACS. :(
     
    Maniac Craniac likes this.
  7. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Perhaps their finances weren't conducive to it? That seems to be the stumbling block for a lot of NA schools that aren't problematic academically.
     
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  8. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    We probably know the same people there. Appealing to US students is secondary to their primary mission, so while accreditation has value, it won't shut down the school.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  9. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    We probably did, although I'm pretty sure that the people I knew ten years ago are all gone now. And they were right to go, because Virginia has become an "up or out" state, so SCHEV won't let them keep operating for long once they don't have recognized accreditation.

    But that's not even the worst part. Apparently, they have just 17 students now. Wow.
     
  10. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    It's been even longer for me. Almost 20, in fact.

    I didn't know that. That flips my comment on its ear.

    That's news, too.

    I always felt they were a blend of being a real university and an I-20 factory. The men from Arab nations seemed to take things rather easy. The women from everywhere, on the other hand, were working really hard to get a good education.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  11. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

    Ouch, colleges will have to close if they can't sustain the money drain, how can Fairfax survive for so long with just 17 students?!
     
  12. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Not even a miracle by TRACS could "save" them. They're literally past praying for, at that stage.
     
  13. Alpine

    Alpine Active Member

    The USDE website shows Fairfax Univ America accredited from 2008 to Aug 18, 2022. The students with credits between these years may be able to transfer to another school. My guess is the few students left are finishing their degree regardless of accreditation status. I did notice Credly badges but do not understand the value. Ironically, credly sounds like credible or believable. Best wishes to the students in seeking out schools that may accept transfer credits. It would be interesting to see if Excelsior University (EU) would credit bank coursework from a previously accredited school. I mentioned in a previous thread EU applied my credits to the transcript but the school is currently TRACS accredited.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2022
  14. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    It is. Credly (which was recently sold) is a source of recognized credits that are transferable to quite a few schools - just like Sophia, etc. They're a subject of much interest on the other forum. And I'm sure the name is chosen to indicate they're "believable," which they are. Although I think the -ly part is a bit time sensitive and its day may have passed. E.g. Smart-ly Institute which is now Quantic U. and DEAC-accredited.
     
    Alpine likes this.
  15. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    My understanding is that Credly is not the source of credits; they're just a banking/transfer mechanism.
     
  16. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Gasp! You mean they're, like, .... crypto-credits? We gotta start a thread for 'em! :) Seriously, thanks for the correction, Steve.
     
  17. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    The Fairfax University of America has 17 students? That is smaller than the guy down street teaching CISSP course out of his apartment. :D What was the reason for them to change from Virginia International University to Fairfax University of America? Local and national presence over "Virginia" is jus state?
     
  18. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Perhaps there's another explanation, but I can't think of any reason to do that unless they believed that their brand was a liability in their target markets.
     
  19. Alpine

    Alpine Active Member

    The few, the proud, the Fairfax alumni!
     
  20. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    And it looks like they might have had no knowledge of the infamous Fairfax University - a degree mill in Louisiana, shut down in 2004.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfax_University
     

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