More from Wyoming

[dhfr]

From Casper Star Tribune: Bill targets diploma mills (http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/08/18/news/wyoming/13458b0b17578f0687257060007f1cde.txt)

Snippet:A bill to require private post-secondary schools to become accredited stands a good chance of passing the Legislature next session, some legislators predict.

But the chancellor of Preston University, Jerry Haenish, contends a mandatory accreditation law isn't needed and will damage the alternate post-secondary education industry in Wyoming.

...

Jennings, who also is optimistic about the bill's future, said the state needs tighter laws for these alternate schools.

He said he is worried about Wyoming students who take these nontraditional college courses and then find they cannot transfer their credits to the University of Wyoming or the community colleges.

"If you're going to be in the education business and you have young minds being developed by what you do, you need to be able to transfer credits," Jennings said.

[Geek]

Where is Kennedy Western's hoot'n and holler'n ?

[michael]

[QUOTE=dhfr]From Casper Star Tribune: Bill targets diploma mills (http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/08/18/news/wyoming/13458b0b17578f0687257060007f1cde.txt)



Snippet:A bill to require private post-secondary schools to become accredited stands a good chance of passing the Legislature next session, some legislators predict.


But the chancellor of Preston University, Jerry Haenish, contends a mandatory accreditation law isn't needed and will damage the alternate post-secondary education industry in Wyoming.

...

Jennings, who also is optimistic about the bill's future, said the state needs tighter laws for these alternate schools.

He said he is worried about Wyoming students who take these nontraditional college courses and then find they cannot transfer their credits to the University of Wyoming or the community colleges.

"If you're going to be in the education business and you have young minds being developed by what you do, you need to be able to transfer credits," Jennings said.
[/QUOTE
Preston is a joke. From what I understand they lure folks in from other countries (like India) and then these poor kids get here and find out they can't transfer any credits. They can't becuase PRESTON has only the weak state recognition. Alot of Wyomings problems will be solved with mandatory accreditation and will most likely end Preston's existence. I believe they are on the list of schools in Pakistan that are considered not to be up to par with the Pakistanian educaiton system.

[Rich Douglas]

Where is Kennedy Western's hoot'n and holler'n ?

Oh, I'm sure they're hard at work behind closed doors. And as Preston clearly demonstrated, there are deals to be made. I hope the politicians do the right thing.

Time to rent some office space in Mississippi, I guess.

[dhfr]

From Associated Press: Lawmakers resume debate over private school accreditation (http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/08/27/news/wyoming/27a0f410570a199e87257068006d48af.txt)

Snippet:Legislators are again looking at requiring accreditation for the 10 private postsecondary schools that are based in Wyoming and licensed by the state.
...

Some say that Wyoming could shed its reputation as a haven for so-called "diploma mills" -- schools that offer degrees for little or no work -- by requiring accreditation from a federally recognized agency.
...

Sen. Tex Boggs, D-Rock Springs and president of Western Wyoming Community College, said he favors accreditation either in the United States or the country where the education is provided. He said that students who attend unaccredited programs could not have their credits transferred and would not be eligible for graduate work in the United States despite having received an "American education."

"I think they're being cheated," he said.

[dhfr]

There's a story on the topic in the Chronicle of Higher Education today. Unfortunately, I don't have a subscription to read it.

See: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&scoring=d&ie=UTF-8&q=DIPLOMA-MILL+CRACKDOWN&btnG=Search+News

[dhfr]

From Billings Gazette: School chief says 3 years enough for accreditation (http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?tl=1&display=rednews/2005/09/22/build/wyoming/40-accreditation.inc)

Snippet:Three years is plenty of time to allow Wyoming's unaccredited, private universities to become accredited as a condition for doing business in the state, State Superintendent Jim McBride said Wednesday.

In an interview, McBride said schools should have to do more than just request accreditation, a request that can easily be turned down - they should be accepted as candidates by a federally recognized accreditation agency such as the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

"Most of our problem schools would never be accepted as candidates," he said. "They'll write that initial letter, they'll get the packet, and say, 'Ooh, man, better go find someplace else.' "

[dhfr]

Jackson Hole Start Tribune: Buchanan slams diploma mills (http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2005/10/08/news/wyoming/eb944fc069c334d0872570940000aca4.txt)

[dhfr]

Associated Press: UW Student Senate calls for diploma mill crackdown (http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/10/28/news/wyoming/c49b682ea87dbb97872570a80062c4a6.txt)