U.S. Department of Education Ends ACICS Recognition

June 4, 2021

HEADLINES

Education Department Ends Recognition of ACICS (Inside Higher Ed, June 3, 2021) "The Department of Education terminated federal recognition of the controversial Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools Wednesday, stripping it of its powers to accredit colleges and universities. The decision comes after several recommendations made this year to withdraw recognition -- first in January by department staff and then in March by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity."

Online Coding Bootcamps: Four Things No One Tells You (CNET, June 2, 2021) “Bootcamps aren’t accredited. Colleges and universities fall subject to accreditation, or a legal requirement to meet strict quality standards. This means that, no matter where you pursue a higher education degree, you can expect a certain level of quality education. Plus, accreditation gets students access to federally backed financial aid.”

Fiduciaries, Not Thought Police (Inside Higher Ed, June 1, 2021) "Blatant political intrusion is threatening to tarnish the integrity and credibility of higher education governance, warns Jill Derby. In the U.S., independent agencies guarantee the educational quality of colleges and universities through an accreditation process. These accrediting agencies recognize independent governance as closely linked to educational quality. Limit the content, limit the learning. Thus, they all include in their standards a requirement for the independence of governing boards."

Republicans, University of Wisconsin Clash Over Abortion Ban Proposal (Wisconsin State Journal, May 27, 2021) "Wisconsin law prohibits using tax dollars to fund abortions. UW doctors are state employees. The bill’s supporters contend UW is getting around that prohibition by having Planned Parenthood pay those physicians for performing and training on abortions at the organization’s facility. Opponents counter that the bill would threaten federal accreditation for the university’s obstetrics-gynecology program because it would no longer be allowed to teach abortion procedures."