Regulating Accreditors

maybe something new on the horizon?

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/05/23/trump-administration-says-it-will-re-examine-rules-higher-ed-oversight-bodies

 

There should be one governmental body accrediting educational institutions. There private accreditation bodies are making education to expensive for ordinary students. I understand seperation of powers, but NTSB regulalates transportations , SEC rugulates business. What makes education any different? It may also solve the diploma mill problem.

 

In the end, when there are losers under whatever system, most likely they will be the students.

 

In the end, when there are losers under whatever system, most likely they will be the students.

 

In the end, when there are losers under whatever system, most likely they will be the students.

 

The Inside Higher Education story doesn't really say that the federal government is proposing to further regulate the accreditors. It just reports on indications from an Education Department official about what the Education Department's thinking is regarding accreditation.

"Diane Auer Jones, a special adviser to the secretary, offered the remarks in a briefing before the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, which oversees the country's higher ed accreditors, on how the department is looking to reduce the regulatory burden on those organizations."

More specifically:

"Those recommendations call for, among other steps, restoring a clear separation in the roles of the so-called "triad" that oversees colleges and universities -- the federal government, accreditors, and the states. They also call for giving more priority in accreditor reviews to activities directly related to student experience or quality of education and giving more autonomy to accrediting agencies themselves."

 

Federal financial aid is government welfare to private entities. It serves only to drive up tuition rates. Schools know they can count on federal and state dollars and can charge above and beyond that. Take the government money out of the equation and the market will adjust.

Yes, schools would close. Many of them, in fact. And if the government was so hell bent on spending that money on higher ed, I'd like to see public institutions be fully funded. That, of course, would mean that admissions would be more competitive. This, coupled with moving away from the "skilled trades are for idiots and all the cool kids go to college" narrative would move us in the right direction. Take federal financial aid out of the equation and private accreditors lose their gatekeeper status. No gatekeeper status means more universities would be comfortable ditching their accreditation or pursuing more cost effective means.

Having the government take a more active role in anything seldom makes it better, cheaper or more efficient.