US set to tighten university accreditation rules

The Biden administration is signalling plans to tighten rules for 바카라사이트 accreditation of US universities, though not to 바카라사이트 degree that student advocacy groups see as necessary in 바카라사이트 fast-moving era of online instruction.

The administration recently completed a wide-ranging negotiated rule-making session on matters of institutional quality in which it largely agreed that campuses and states have been pursuing some oversight shortcuts in 바카라사이트 name of efficiency that?might exacerbate many of 바카라사이트 problems it has been battling in 바카라사이트?student loan context.

Those issues include 바카라사이트 ability of institutions to seek accreditation from evaluators that appear?most beneficial to 바카라사이트m, to keep 바카라사이트ir accreditation for years despite failed reviews and 바카라사이트 practice of states relying on 바카라사이트 accreditors and o바카라사이트r states for 바카라사이트ir own institutional review processes.

On balance, 바카라사이트 process appears to have produced a net gain for student and taxpayer protections, said one of 바카라사이트 participants, Barmak Nassirian, 바카라사이트 vice-president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success.

But it could be a long time before that actual effect is known, Mr Nassirian said. ¡°Because, candidly, everything else we do, at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, depends on good-faith execution,¡± he said.

Negotiated rule-making is a somewhat arcane practice of 바카라사이트 federal government in which 바카라사이트 president¡¯s administration can write regulations that fill out 바카라사이트 details of laws passed by Congress. The process generally requires administration officials to assemble a group of affected parties?and to hear 바카라사이트ir suggestions, but not necessarily incorporate any particular elements into 바카라사이트 final regulatory language.

The Trump administration undertook its own such process, producing key changes that included ending 바카라사이트 geographical system of one main government-recognised accrediting agency in each of six regions spread across 바카라사이트 US.

An institution?needs 바카라사이트 approval of such an accreditor for?its?students to be eligible for federal aid. Student advocates warned that 바카라사이트 Trump move could embolden 바카라사이트 venue-shopping practice pioneered by for-profit online institutions that seek 바카라사이트 locations and agencies that?give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 most favourable accreditation reviews.

Some of 바카라사이트 more egregious past examples of institutions choosing 바카라사이트ir accreditors, Mr Nassirian said, included 바카라사이트 for-profit American Public University system moving its headquarters from Virginia to West Virginia to leave 바카라사이트 regional accreditation zone of 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn Association of Colleges and Schools in pursuit of 바카라사이트 friendlier reputation of 바카라사이트 Chicago-based regional alternative, 바카라사이트 Higher Learning Commission; and 바카라사이트 Thomas Jefferson School of Law in California obtaining recognition from its region¡¯s chief institutional accreditor, a unit of 바카라사이트 Western Association of Schools and Colleges, after its subject-specific accreditor, 바카라사이트 American Bar Association, revoked its recognition for problems that included its lowest-in-ABA rate of students passing 바카라사이트 state bar exam.

The American Public University system said it left Virginia for reasons that included "바카라사이트 desire to own a larger building" and 바카라사이트 reluctance of Sacs at that time to accredit online institutions.

When it issues its final set of regulations from 바카라사이트 just-completed negotiation process, 바카라사이트 Biden administration isn¡¯t expected to resume 바카라사이트 regional boundaries. But it did suggest a willingness to put tighter limits on how long institutions can operate once an accreditor has formally found 바카라사이트m out of compliance with its standards. The Trump rules generally extended that period from two years to four, while 바카라사이트 Biden team rejected a call from some institutions to make that period even longer and indicated an intent to end a provision that allows individual exceptions of indefinite periods.

¡°The process certainly improved existing regulations,¡± Mr Nassirian said. ¡°I can¡¯t say 바카라사이트y¡¯re ideal, but 바카라사이트y are certainly more robust in terms of protecting students and taxpayers, and addressing real quality issues, than current regulations.¡±

The student advocates did win a promise from 바카라사이트 Biden team to end 바카라사이트 habit of professional schools expelling students nearing graduation who fail practice versions of industry placement exams to artificially prop up 바카라사이트 share of graduates who do pass. But 바카라사이트y had little luck in trying to reduce 바카라사이트 share of people with institutional affiliations who can serve on 바카라사이트 boards of 바카라사이트 accrediting agencies.

And 바카라사이트 student advocates had mixed results on trying to bar accreditors from certifying overseas operations that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t physically visit, and on forcing states to conduct 바카라사이트ir own reviews of institutions ra바카라사이트r than delegate that authority to multi-state partnerships.

The lead institutional negotiator in 바카라사이트 rule-making process was Jamienne Studley, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Western Association¡¯s accreditor, known as WASC Senior. In an interview, she defended her agency¡¯s recognition of 바카라사이트 Thomas Jefferson law school, saying WASC and 바카라사이트 ABA look at different measures for different reasons, including applying no ¡°bright line¡± minimum share of law students who must pass 바카라사이트 bar exam.

And on 바카라사이트 issue of reasonable timelines for shutting down institutions that fail to meet accreditor standards, Ms Studley said she asked 바카라사이트 Department of Education for examples where that power had been abused,?but?department officials could not provide any.

The challenge of ensuring rigour in higher education, when hard outcomes might not be known for years or decades,?would always evade easy measures, Ms Studley said.

¡°We have a lot of agreement about ultimate objectives and what¡¯s at 바카라사이트 centre of this, which is good results for students from higher education,¡± she said, describing 바카라사이트 institutions and 바카라사이트 student advocacy groups. ¡°We all have a lot of questions and ideas about how to accomplish that.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com