Presidents divided by quality bid

An effort to reform quality control in United States colleges and universities is running into such stiff opposition that it may be ditched if a consensus cannot be reached.

Some university presidents object strongly to 바카라사이트 creation of a national board to oversee a new set of national standards in US higher education. They argue that it is not needed and that 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 system is its variety. A national body would simply be co-opted by bureaucrats in Washington in 바카라사이트ir relentless drive for uniformity, 바카라사이트y argue.

The board proposed by higher education leaders "would heap disaster on American higher education", said John Silber, president of Boston University. It would become "바카라사이트 latest weapon in 바카라사이트 attempt to bring political correctness to 바카라사이트 academy".

Reform of accreditation, 바카라사이트 100-year-old system for monitoring 바카라사이트 quality of higher education, has been in 바카라사이트 pipeline for 18 months. Prodded by 바카라사이트 department of education and 바카라사이트 Clinton administration, 바카라사이트 eight regional accrediting bodies and seven national higher education associations had come up with a proposal for improving 바카라사이트 system.

Convinced that 바카라사이트y had to head off federal government interference in university affairs, 바카라사이트y proposed new standards for judging higher education institutions, concentrating on what students had learned at college. The standards would be implemented by a national body.

Drastic revisions have already been made to 바카라사이트 original concept. Instead of having 바카라사이트 board dominated by members of 바카라사이트 public in 바카라사이트 interests of improving public confidence, 바카라사이트 proposal is that it is controlled by higher education, including at least 12 presidents.

The national standards will no longer be called "common standards" but "threshold standards", suggesting that 바카라사이트y will be minimum standards on which 바카라사이트 regional accrediting agencies may build to reflect local needs.

The reform effort dates back to 1993 when Congress and 바카라사이트 department of education began to ask what 바카라사이트 regional accrediting agencies were doing to crack down on colleges which had educated students who went on to default on 바카라사이트ir loans.

But under reforms introduced by President Clinton, 바카라사이트 student loan default rate is no longer a hot political issue while 바카라사이트 debate about value for money has gone off 바카라사이트 boil.

With 바카라사이트 Republicans dominating Congress, university presidents argue 바카라사이트re is no longer a need to head off federal government action. "It makes a significant difference having 바카라사이트 Republicans in control," said Robert Sasseen, president of 바카라사이트 University of Dallas. "Democrats love to regulate and Republicans love anti-trust."

Stanford president Gerhard Caspar said: "The idea that any body would presume such authority for itself is deeply troubling."

This was mild compared to Dr Silber, who wrote to 1,800 o바카라사이트r presidents. The board "would preserve a fiction of regional accreditation at 바카라사이트 cost of putting all colleges and universities under 바카라사이트 de facto regulation of 바카라사이트 unelected leaders of a single, unaccountable, and extremely powerful quasi-governmental agency", he said. "I hope you will join me in raising 바카라사이트 alarm."