WASC Accrediting Commission Meeting Today

Sure. When I had a conversation with the WASC person, she informed me of the process to become accredited. First a member, reivews at the school, etc. They have it documented in a huge document on their website. The process is about 3-5 years, but no school has gotten it from beginning (membership) to end (accreditation) any sooner than that.

When I asked specifically about TUI, she said that would be a different process, as though they are not members, they are in the RA system, and it is seen as a unique situation. I asked spcifically how it would work, and she was not able to say, as they were meeting on how things needed to proceed. This was about a few weeks after the whole things happened with the report from the other RA report that TUI needs to get its own accreditation.

I have done no research or update (other than discussion here) since that time last year, so not sure what they would be willing to say. I took a beating discussing it, and many said not to speculate, so I called the sourse to get the data. I received a copy of the letter of when they needed to do all of this by, but don't recall exactly the timeline. A thread search will show the word for word findings.

It would be interesteing to see what they are saying to people now, and what they are bale to disclose at this point. It seems it is getting close.

 

Thanks, Han. I guess we'll all see soon.

 

I can bet that TUI is going to receive full accreditation from the beginning. There is no reason to reject TUI's application or to start a full re-accreditation process. WASC would not contradict Middle States! Most probably, WASC will require additional conditions for the next following years after transferring to TUI the existing accreditation.

 

vamaveche: "WASC would not contradict Middle States!"

John: Well there are cases, Walden and Phoenix as exemplars, where a school couldn't get accreditation in one region, so they moved to another region and got it.

Also, there is the very odd (to me) conversation I had with Dr. Dasher-Allston, one of the power-possessing beings at Middle States. When they blessed TUI, I commented that they had made history by giving regional accrediation for the first time to a non-resident doctoral program. Dasher-Allston said that wasn't true; that there were a number of other non-resident regionally accredited doctorates. I said that I did not know of any. She named Walden, Union and Capella. I gently pointed out that they all had a month or more of residency; TUI had none. She seemed quite taken aback. And so I wondered, and still do, if Middle States would have behaved differently if they had realized that there was no precedent for their actions.

 

I haven't seen much from WASC or TIU on this matter. What makes you so sure? Seeing that you're not offering any support, this sounds like speculation.

 

I called WASC this morning, and they are releasing the information by phone on Monday monring. The lady who answered said she is getting a great deal of calls, so they are releasing the information Monday. I asked why the delay from the meeting last week, and she said the school needs to have time to review their findings and there is a delay until public release is made.

 

My guess? C-A-N-D-I-D-A-C-Y. And then, significant changes. WASC doesn't take kindly to 100% DL schools.

 

I assume that TUI management was fully aware that they would need WASC accreditation when they moved/was created to/in California.
For me is a non-sense the fact that TUI was created in California but in NY. Accordingly, something is missing from this equation. Otherwise I would consider the TUI's management completely unprofessional...

 

If somebody is calling WASC today please let us know the result of the evaluation. Candidacy or accreditation for TUI???

 

I called this morning, "they are not ready to release the findings until further discussion with the school". They will also not be giving the information over the phone, and it will only be released on their website. She apologized for the mis-information last week that information would be released today and via phone, but said that is the current plan and to check their website in the near future for information.

 

Thank you very much Han!
It seems that during the week-end some important decisions have been made...

 

Whoa ...

Han ... thanks for the update, I just KNEW
you would call them on this topic ... B-) B-)

Vamaveche ... not sure why/how you can
read such into Han's statement. The world
of academics moves VERY SLOWLY at times.

Han's corrected the mis-information she was
given by WASC. Let's ALL be careful not to be
guilty of creating similar or worse conclusions.

May everyone have a great week!

Billy

TUI Learner

 

It was only a pure remark. However something has been changed from Friday to Monday. I didn't make any inference as for the nature of the change. It might be a pure human mistake or mis-communication.
Besides, I still consider that both TUI and WASC may be more transparent in this area. Accreditation issues are very important for all of us.

TUI Learner too.

 

Not a good assumption. TUI was created in California specifically to fall under Touro College's accreditation. That end-around has been removed.

 

Perahaps I don't understand exactly the accreditation process.
Nevertheless TC is accredited by the Middle States in New York. Wouldn't have been easier for TUI to remain in NY for avoiding a "confrontation" with WASC?

 

Update on TUI's Accreditation

It's unfortunate that they won't just provide the information. Now, I'm treading really carefully here in order to honor some confidentiality issues. I've known since last Friday that the accreditation was granted - at least according to a well placed source. In fact the comment was "... the bar was set really high. [We] are the first 100% online school to be accredited by WASC." Obviously the pronoun gives a hint as to the source.

Of course, I wasn't given any information about what changes were required. However, I am aware of one change that preceeded the accreditation meeting. Doctoral programs will now require a comprehensive examination (stated specifically in the notice of acceptance to new Ph.D. students) before advancement to candidacy.

Again folks, I apologize for not being able to provide the name of the source. But I assure you that it is legitimate unless for some really strange reason that person is advancing a blatant untruth. That I don't believe is very likely.

 

Do you mean that TUI will be fully accredited by WASC soon???

 

I personally think that everything in academia is a bit slower than intended. My guess is that they couldn't get everybody in the room that they needed to cover their basis of letting the institution know before any public statement was made.

I also think they re-thought their strategy about the phone vs. internet statements. The lady I spoke with said she had gotten a great number of calls, and that being the case, the confusion will be eliminated with issuing a statement on their website, worded exactly the same, no interpretation issues, etc than on phone coversations (and much less resources).

I do think the findings will not be as straight forward as some think, I think they will have to make some changes, as Defi has eluded to with the requirements change (potentially). I think that may be the discussions going on this week.

They were very nice at WASC.... Interesting to see it unfold.....

I think the more interesting factor is if/how TUI will state the information, as they have not had any official information out on this yet via their website or admissions department.

 

Yes, that is what I mean. Sufficed to say, the Touro administrators are happy.

 

TUI was never in New York. It is part of a strategy that Touro College has followed to reach populations beyond its traditional one. TUI has always been in California.

California is home to satellite campuses of other out-of-state universities, and their seems to be no pressure on them to become accredited separately under WASC. But this situation is different in at least three ways. First, TUI is more like a wholly owned subsidiary of a conglomerate (Touro College) than it is a mere branch of the home campus. They don't share degree programs, processes, etc. with Touro College. Second, TUI has always operated in California, never in New York. Finally, unlike a mere branch campus, Touro College had to (successfully) bid to have the Middle States include TUI under Touro's accreditation. When it was pointed out to Middle States that they'd just accredited the first 100% non-residential Ph.D., they were somewhat surprised. I'm not at all surprised that Middle States has decided to rid themselves of that problem, foisting it on WASC.

My prediction: WASC grants them candidacy, but requires them to introduce residencies into their Ph.D. programs (or drop them). But who knows, perhaps defii is right and WASC will decide instead to join the 21st century.