Dept. of Ed axes ACICS

Watchdog that oversees the flow of billions of dollars to colleges is shut down
By Jillian Berman
Published: Sept 22, 2016 5:25 p.m. ET

A controversial college watchdog that critics say allowed bad actors to operate unchecked just received a potentially fatal blow from the feds.

The Department of Education announced Thursday that it was terminating the recognition of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), a private organization that oversees more than 200 schools, which at one time included the now-defunct ITT Technical Institutes and Corinthian Colleges. The Department’s decision comes after several months of complaints from critics, including Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who said ACICS allowed some for-profit colleges to continue to operate with few, if any, restrictions even as questions mounted about their conduct.

More... Watchdog that oversees the flow of billions of dollars to colleges is shut down - MarketWatch

 

Dang it, Decimon! Thought I had a scoop, but you beat me by half an hour! :smile: No matter. You won, fair and square.

Here's another article on the same topic: Government Severs Ties With for-Profit Colleges Accreditor - ABC News

Wonder how long the appeal(s) will go on?

J.

 

:crying:

You must forgive me that as I am a mere youth of 71 years.

 

:fest30: :banana:

 

from the Department of Redundancy Dept.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/09/22/days-might-be-numbered-for-one-of-nations-largest-college-accreditors/

 

Well, if there's ever a Master of Superfluity degree... ;-)

 

Does this mean the 200 colleges that were accredited by them are now vanity schools? That really sucks for the students currently enrolled. I would hope credits earned will be grandfathered and still be worth something at DEAC schools. But there are some NA schools who don't accept NA credits aren't there?

 

From ITT's site:

Will my credits transfer to another institution?

The decision concerning the acceptance of credits earned in any course taken at the school is made at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is unlikely that any credits earned at the school will be transferable to or accepted by any institution.

At least they're being honest but, ouch.

That being posted, ITT does appear to have a considerable list of schools in their articulation agreement link: Educational Options – ITT Technical Institute

 

Like the old quotation, "I'd never belong to any club that would have me as a member." (Groucho Marx)

 

I'm a little confused. Most of the allegations seem to have to do with business practices, not academics. Do business practices fall under the accreditor's purview?

 

Accreditors usually have various financial guidelines in their accreditation policies & procedures. So funds mishandling or a schools general inability to operate with financial responsibility would fall under that.

 

Even my Associate's alma mater is pitching in, which is good, considering that ITT had a fairly large "campus" (as far as their campuses go) close-by in Norwood, MA.

Quincy College - ITT Tech Help

 

Maybe it's a good time for ACCSC and ACCET to hire a couple of extra people. The phones might be ringing with would-be customers...

J.

 

Colleges that normally wouldn't accept NA credits are stepping in to help these students. Austin Community College is helping the 400 ITT students that attended the local campus after being inundated with calls. This is great for them. They can finish an RA associates and possibly save tens of thousands of dollars depending on how far along they are.

 

Glad the students are getting help. A bit strange that their school's closing, in these circumstances, would be such a lucky break for many students, but hey... I'll take it. Something good may come of this, yet.

J.

 

Council on Occupational Education?

"Throughout its history, the Council and its predecessor agency have been recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority on the quality of education offered by the institutions it has accredited. Its current scope of recognition is as a national institutional accrediting agency for the accreditation of non-degree-granting and applied associate degree-granting postsecondary occupational education institutions."

History, Mission, Core Values | Council on Occupational Education

 

A quick look at the ACICS website reveals many schools in the U.S. and worldwide. Who knew? Well, I didn't.

I suspect that most of those schools are occupational and not degree granting. I see that a local career school (not degree granting) is ACICS and that's in New York where the hand of Alexander Hamilton lays heavy still on accreditation. That school has been around for a long time and apparently gives what it should.

Graduates of degree granting ACICS schools have what they have and shouldn't be affected. I'd guess that current students of four year ACICS schools are in the lower level (most drop out, after all) so getting an AAS elsewhere shouldn't be much of a burden on them. But then, some are just SOL.

 

And many of these colleges hold other accreditation too, so if their other accreditation allows them to participate in federal financial aid, this won't even be a blip on their radar. For the guys where this is their ONLY accreditor, they better have a plan B.