CA Approval versus RA - - Let's Compare

Guest · Jul 16, 2001

Originally posted by BillDayson:
Here's just a sampling of CA-approved doctorate granting schools that happen to be within easy commuting distance of my home.

Click to expand...

WOW, Bill! Your options are almost unlimited in the CA-approved sector.

Russell

Chip · Jul 16, 2001

Originally posted by DWCox:

Originally posted by Chip:
Originally posted by Neil Hynd:

Witn an annually-renewed state license,

Which is apparently now an automatic process in which the institution essentially receives a bill and pays it...

Would this be any different than the ten year check-up of SACS?

Very much so. First off, a site visit (usually one to three days) is performed with a team of accreditors from the regional, and an extensive self-analysis is conducted by the school that generally is a months-long process prior to the site visit. The self-analysis and accreditation team report are reviewed by the regional prior to renewal of accreditation. Additionally, the ten-year reaccreditation is only given to schools that SACS (or the other regionals) find to be in the highest standing. Institutions that are less solid or have any irregularities are given much shorter reaccreditation periods, sometimes as short as one or two years.

unannounced BPPVE inspections

Apparently virtually unheard of within the past several years.

How often do the RA's make unannounced visits?

I don't know. I suspect it's exceedingly rare, and probably only if there's reason to suspect something seriously wrong, but that's conjecture.

Chip: I think the same arguments can be made in reference to the RA's.

Except that the RAs in general are *much* more on the ball, in part because they have the resources (paid for by the member schools) to keep better tabs on their programs, and probably because there is more self-policing that goes on (the gossip grapevine between RA schools, at least some of the private liberal arts schools, is *incredible* -- it was the subject of a Justice Department antitrust probe some years back.)

I am not saying that CA Approved schools are the equal of RA schools, but are quite possibly providing quality education, one deserving of more recognition and degree utility. I can't help but think that many RA schools get lost between-the-cracks and thus are provided little if any academic oversight, but yet they have RA status.

Entirely possible. But at least there is the failsafe of the reaccreditation process every x years (where x is one to ten). And I keep forgetting that there are many, many CA-approved schools that have little or no distance offerings... and these, I suspect, are on the whole much higher quality institutions than the DL-only programs, if only because students are making their decisions to attend based in part on seeing the campus and meeting with faculty... which almost never happens with a solely-DL based program.
Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Ian Anderson · Jul 16, 2001

Cal State Dominguez Hills WASC accreditation was placed on warning status in 1999 and the school is working hard to regain normal status by Fall 2001. For anyone interested details are at http://change.csudh.edu/CHANGEROOT/WASC/index.htm
My understanding of the WASC is that they do indeed monitor universities closely, they monitor time taken for students to earn degrees (CSUDH is largely a commuter school so part time students take longer to earn a degre than full time students so this raises a flag to WASC), and WASC takes surveys of graduated students to see if they progrss in their careers (salary and responsibility).
It is refreshing that CSUDH is open with their problems.

How often do the RA's make unannounced visits?

Chip: I think the same arguments can be made in reference to the RA's.

I am not saying that CA Approved schools are the equal of RA schools, but are quite possibly providing quality education, one deserving of more recognition and degree utility. I can't help but think that many RA schools get lost between-the-cracks and thus are provided little if any academic oversight, but yet they have RA status. Which in true allows for participation in the federal student loan program.

Regards, Wes[/B][/QUOTE]

Susan2 · Jul 16, 2001

Hi Bill,

I know this is off the topic, but you mentioned that you're a Californian, so I thought I'd ask you a quick question...

What do you think of California State University - Hayward? (Or do you never think about it at all...) I'm asking because I'm registering for my first online Master's course there this week, and I would like to hear what Californians think of CSU.

Thanks for any opinions you can offer!

By the way -- note to everyone else -- sorry to go off-topic here!

Regards,
Susan

Log in or Sign up

CA Approval versus RA - - Let's Compare

Guest Guest

Chip Administrator

Ian Anderson Active Member

Susan2 New Member

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

CA Approval versus RA - - Let's Compare

Guest Guest

Chip Administrator

Ian Anderson Active Member

Susan2 New Member

Share This Page

Useful Searches