Salt Lake Bible College??

Here is the link of institutions accredited by ASIC:

College Directory - ASIC

The only U.S. universities listed are the otherwise unaccredited University of Atlanta, Delta International University and the University of America (Salt Lake Bible College is not mentioned by ASIC, but is run by the same people).

On its website, (Accreditation), SLBC states the following: "The University of America/Salt Lake Baptist College/Salt Lake Bible College is fully accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges, and Universities (ASIC UK) a UK government recognized international agency listed in the US CHEA's list of recognized international agencies. CHEA link is HERE."

The link should have gone to CHEA's home page of the international directory (Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) International Directory) which clarifies the ASIC (and other listings):

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

International Directory

Accrediting Organizations
Higher Education Quality Assurance Agencies
Ministries of Education
This directory contains contact information about 467 quality assurance bodies, accreditation bodies and Ministries of Education in 175 countries. The quality assurance and accreditation bodies have been authorized to operate by their respective governments either as agencies of the government or as private (nongovernmental) organizations.

The information has been obtained from the quality assurance or accreditation body or ministry of education. It has been reformatted by CHEA but otherwise not edited. The terminology used by the different organizations and governments is not standardized.

This directory is provided as a public service without warranty of any kind. The directory does not constitute an endorsement by CHEA of the agencies or organizations contained here. (emphasis mine).

Both Dr. VanBuskirk's institutions' websites (SLBC and UofA) and his post stating that ASIC is a CHEA recognized accrediting agency are absolutely false. According to an admittedly superficial Google search. It appears that Dr. Vanbuskirk's doctorate is from his own school (Salt Lake Bible College).

 

This is correct. The SLBC/ASIC relationship is not legitimately recognized accreditation.

 

Mr. Vanbuskirk awarded himself a doctorate? He probably had numerous life experience credits.

 

As I said - ASIC accred. is not CHEA-recognized.
As Dr. Piña said - claims that ASIC accred. is CHEA-recognized on "Dr." VanBuskirk's websites and in his posting here are "absolutely false."
As Dr. Piña and RAM both suggested - Dr. VanBuskirk basically awarded himself a "doctorate." (His own school.)

But Chip was talking (in another thread) about Dr. Maxine Asher. Now, she's a hoot and her own degrees are real. Not so for this VanBuskirk guy. :sad:

Johann

 

In generally all ¨valid¨school in Eu are those who are recognized by the state government. So Every degree earned in US must be evaluated, nostrificate ! It is means every exam has to be analysed ¨per se¨!!! And it is very important for what do You need degree for proceeding schooling or for job ??

 

Yes, Maya - what you say about European Universities is generally true. Recognition or charter by the State makes the University able to grant degrees which have proper standing. There are a few other situations, like Swiss Cantonal approval, which result in schools which can legally grant degrees that may have lesser standing than mainstream State-chartered universities. Some of these degrees, while not against the law, have no standing at all - and very little utility. Others fare quite well - usually business degrees with approval from a well-known association - e.g. EQUIS, AMBA, AACSB, ACBSP.

There are also universities in Europe that do not have any sort of State recognition - and some of them are degree mills in every sense of the world. You have them - we have them.

In the US, the standard is the school's accreditation. There are two forms: Regional and National. There are six Regional accreditors and only about three National Accreditors, besides those that solely accredit schools offering religious degrees.

if a U.S. school is accredited by one of those legitimate bodies, its degrees have standing. Some States have a "State Approval" process that is not accreditation. California is one such State. That process simply makes it legal for a State-Approved school to operate. Its degrees are legally issued in its State, but they have lesser acceptance than mainstream degrees. One has to be careful where and how one uses such a degree. In some other jurisdictions, these degrees may be completely worthless or even illegal. Below those State-approved schools, of course, there are degree mills. Some states have passed laws against unaccredited schools operating there - so the bad schools just move on to somewhere else.

What you say about "nostrification" (which I recognize as Latin for "making it one of ours") applies to foreign degrees, which people want to use in the US. There are 14 or 15 legitimate credential evaluators, whose job it is to evaluate foreign degrees and credentials, deciding to exactly what level they are equivalent in terms of US education.

Nowhere does every exam, etc. have to be scrutinized. Accreditors may look at a U.S. school's curriculum course-by-course and for some less-usual evaluations of foreign degrees, there may be some examination of course contents.

To sum up. In Europe, the standard is usually State recognition. In the US, the standard is Accreditation.

Johann

 

Sorry. There are a few more than that. I counted. 21 NACES members and AACRAO - so, 22 in all.

Johann

 

Hello Johann, Thank you for explanation.
In generally in every University, we have ¨one more degree¨. As I understood every new school have to be report to local Department of Education, so it means have to have some average academic standard. You have right, In Europe also exist many, many, I will say, schools for higher education with only a few programs!! For ASIC I do not know what they are in really :-? I sent couple emails and found myself to make conversation with same person!!!
But, I will focusing now on religious schools. In Europe are many so-called The Pope Universities, private church Universities.Recognised by government as academic institutions. In US is situation a little bit different, and it makes me very confuse?

 

Hi Maya -

ASIC is not a recognized academic accreditor. Its approval means absolutely nothing, academically. ASIC started as an organization that reported to the UK Border Agency. Its job was to look at British schools (mostly non-degree-granting schools) that enrolled foreign students, and see that there were "real" classes and that the people who attended belonged there - no immigration violations, all had proper visas etc. ASIC approval did not give a school degree-granting powers - and still doesn't. ASIC says so itself.

ASIC has decided to become international - and schools in several countries that have no degree-granting authority are buying ASIC approval because it looks impressive to those who don't know it's not recognized - and the ASIC sticker tends to make their meaningless degrees look better, to buyers - innocent or not.

There are all types of religious schools in the US. About 20 States have a "religious exemption" - meaning that a school that confers degrees in religious subjects only, does not require accreditation. The other States do not.

Many religious schools, Christian, Jewish and other faiths do choose to be accredited. Some are Regionally Accredited, some Nationally. For example, the well-known distance school, Catholic Distance University is DETC (Nationally) accredited. There are some National Accreditors (called Faith-based accreditors) that deal solely with religious schools. An example is TRACS (Trans National Association of Christian Colleges and Schools). A complete list of recognized accreditors, by type, can be found on this site. Council for Higher Education Accreditation Home Page

As I said, there are also many unaccredited religious schools, as quite a few U.S. States permit them. The quality of these varies tremendously. Some have quite high standards. Others require nothing more than a credit card. Other unaccredited religious schools are --- oh, somewhere in between, I guess. :smile:

Johann

 

That's confusing...sorry. What I meant to say is: schools with no degree-granting authority are buying ASIC approval...etc. It's happening in several countries, including the US. I hope that's clear. I just missed the 10-minute editing cutoff.

Translation: The other States do not have a "religious exemption." They do not have a special waiver of accreditation requirements for religious schools.

Johann

 

Utah and the Salt Lake Bible College

Utah has fairly stringent laws for schools to be able to award degrees. I checked and Salt Lake Baptist College is listed with the Utah Department of Consumer Protection as a "Registration-Exempt Postsecondary Proprietary Schools". However, I couldn't find Salt Lake Bible College.

Utah Division of Consumer Protection

Maybe you'll have better luck! Perhaps the "Bible College" is a college of the Salt Lake Baptist College? Hopefully, the degree awarded says, Salt Lake Baptist College which is at a minimum State Approved!

 

Utah Education Network UEN

Utah Education Network

 

I think that should read "at the maximum, State Approved." That means it's legal and possibly of some use in the State of Utah, or elsewhere if non-accredited religious degrees are accepted. Anything else - zip, nada, bupkes, niente.

I'd choose another school, myself. I don't like unrecognized so-called "accreditation" (ASIC) or self-awarded doctorates (Mr. Van Buskirk.) I'd prefer the honesty of no accreditation at all, over this jumped-up "seal of good housekeeping." Why, oh why, do I find so much pretentiousness surrounding religious education when all the major faiths preach honesty! :sad:

Johann

 

"Maximum"? For all we know it's accredited by G-d! It's a "free" online bible college for Pete's sake....not my cup of tea but I don't see anything wrong with its mission!

 

I checked the school's board and Dr. Van Buskirk is down the chain. How did he award himself a doctorate if the Chancellor and President (doctoral degree holders) are other individuals above him in this legally organized Utah entity? Honoris Causa? see link:

Staff

 

Based on this link, Salt Lake Baptist College/Bible College IS NOT accredited by ANY legitimately recognized accreditor. Neither BSAA Baptist Schools Accrediting Association or ACIS are recognized by CHEA or the USDoE.

 

Do you seriously believe that? :shock:

From an earlier post (Harry Copper) "We believe SLBC is the lifework of Dr. Vanbuskirk (the founder) to bring people..."

Just my personal take - I think that if such a school calls ANYTHING it issues a doctorate it is perpetrating a sham and a fraud - regardless of whether it is free or not. It devalues "real" doctorates - religious or secular.

Also from Dr. Piña: "Just looked at the curriculum: Learning Baptist history takes 8 weeks; learning Calvinism takes a mere 6 weeks; however basic typing and sentence formatting takes a whopping 32 weeks."

Obviously, higher education this is not. OK, it's legal for them to issue "doctorates" - but somehow I don't think it should be. Even if they're free. Diplomas yes - all they want. Degrees -- no.

Johann

 

Indeed, many things are legal that are neither ethical or moral. :sad:

 

For sure. And I get particularly upset when religious organizations that hold themselves out to be Godly - or other groups that hold themselves out to be trustworthy - stray into areas that are ethically/morally suspect -- or worse. And I think the issuance of largely meaningless "doctoral" degrees, even if free, or blatant mis-statements re: accreditation, its recognition or lack thereof, are NOT good things to be doing - regardless of whether they are punishable or not. Condoning, or attempting to mitigate or justify these deeds isn't cool in my book, either.

I'll shut up now - I've said all I came to say. Several times.

Johann

 

Not only is it not cool, it is unethical. The issuing entity must know these monstrosities called doctoral degrees are not legitimate in any sense of the term. Your comments are spot on, Johann, even for a 70 year old Canadian. :wink: