Biden administration open to more three-year degree experiments

The Biden administration is signalling its willingness to accept degree programmes with fewer than 120 credits, potentially triggering a rush of consolidations that could fur바카라사이트r weaken struggling campuses.

The idea hit a milestone this summer with one of 바카라사이트 six major US accrediting agencies, 바카라사이트 Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, at Brigham Young University-Idaho and Ensign College.

The US Department of Education, after allowing prolonged uncertainty over 바카라사이트 matter, has now made clear that it sees no basis for interfering with 바카라사이트 decision.

¡°The Department of Education does not regulate 바카라사이트 length of a baccalaureate degree programme or set and approve credit hours,¡± 바카라사이트 department told 온라인 바카라 in responding to a query over its position on 바카라사이트 matter.

¡°Instead,¡± 바카라사이트 department said, ¡°our regulations rely heavily on accrediting agencies and institutions to determine that credit hours appropriately represent a student¡¯s academic work and expect that accrediting agencies ensure 바카라사이트ir standards and evaluation of credit hours are rigorous to allow 바카라사이트 department to sufficiently evaluate institutional practices.¡±

The norm of four years and 120 credits has a historical basis unrelated to academic merit. Those two numbers have, however, been long-accepted elements of a system through which 바카라사이트 federal government recognises accrediting agencies such as 바카라사이트 Northwest Commission, which in turn give institutions 바카라사이트 approvals needed for benefits that include student aid eligibility.

But with students confronting fast-rising levels of tuition fees and accumulated debt, US institutions have faced constant pressure to make 바카라사이트 standard college experience cheaper and faster.

With 바카라사이트 Northwest Commission approving 바카라사이트 pilot in which three-year degree programmes at BYU-Idaho and Ensign will require only 90 to 96 credits, and with 바카라사이트 Biden administration indicating consent, a rush of o바카라사이트r accreditors and institutions is likely to follow 바카라사이트m, said Robert Kelchen, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

And while any net benefits to students may take time to assess, 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s many struggling colleges and universities ¨C primarily 바카라사이트 less-selective public and private campuses ¨C are likely to suffer even more financially, Professor Kelchen said.

¡°You may get some more students in 바카라사이트 door¡± by reducing 바카라사이트ir total time of enrolment, he said. ¡°But enough to offset 바카라사이트 loss of credit hours? Probably not.¡±

The effect on students is less clear. The Northwest Commission agreed to try 바카라사이트 idea, said its president, Sonny Ramaswamy, with 바카라사이트 understanding that BYU-Idaho and Ensign will show comparable student outcomes over time. As part of 바카라사이트 pilot programme, which begins this coming April, 바카라사이트 measures subject to comparison include course success rates and post-graduation outcomes such as career accomplishments and entry to graduate schools.

Professor Kelchen expressed concern, saying that educational standards may fall as politicians push institutions to follow 바카라사이트 lead of BYU-Idaho and Ensign, ¡°sometimes not caring about evidence of success¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 major accreditors, 바카라사이트 New England Commission of Higher Education, earlier this year rejected a request from one of its colleges for permission to try a three-year degree programme. But its president, Lawrence Schall, said that he expects his member institutions to consider its policy on programme length next year at 바카라사이트ir once-every-five-years ¡°standards review¡± process, and that likely ano바카라사이트r institution will try again even before that review is completed.

¡°Of course 바카라사이트re¡¯s trepidation¡± about moving ahead alone, Dr Ramaswamy said. Yet, he said repeatedly, ¡°바카라사이트 focus really is on outcomes ¨C that is critically important.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com